The Wayne High girls held five-time defending Class C-2 champion Crofton 21 points below their season average in their first meeting a week ago, but it was a different outcome Saturday as the Warriors posted a 66-40 win over the Blue Devils to claim the Mid State Conference title at Northeast Community College in Norfolk.
Wayne played Crofton close for most of the first half, taking their only lead of the game at 5-4 on a 3-pointer by Kelsey Boyer. Later in the period, Gabi Meyer hit a layup and Frankie Klausen nailed a trey to get Wayne within one at 11-10, but that is the closest they would get for the rest of the game.
Crofton scored the final three points of the first and opened the second with a basket to lead 16-10. Meyer hit another shot from close in to make it 16-12, but Crofton built their advantage into double digits and took a 33-18 lead into the locker room at the half.
Early in the second half, Kiara Hochstein hit a baseline jumper to make it 40-27, and that’s as close as Crofton would let the Blue Devils get after that, pulling away for the 26-point win.
Kylie Hammer led the 16-6 Blue Devils with 14 points, Meyer added seven and Boyer put in six. Also scoring were Jamie Gamble with four, Klaussen scored three and Hochstein, Lindy Sandoz and Jenna Trenhaile each had two.
Wayne closes the regular season on the road, playing at Ponca on Tuesday and Arlington on Friday.
