MiddletownJournal.com

WILMINGTON — John Rossi had a hard time finding words Thursday, Feb. 14.

His Madison High School girls basketball team brought a perfect record to the Division III sectional finals at Wilmington, but left with the bitter taste of a defeat that could only be described as devastating.

Courtney Kust buried a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left to give unbeaten Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy a 48-46 triumph, ending the Mohawks' historic season at 21-1.

"What do you tell the kids? We weren't expecting to lose tonight," Rossi said. "Hindsight is 20-20, but we didn't finish the job we started."

Lindsay Hoskins tallied 20 points and eight rebounds for Madison. Ally Malott tossed in 12 points and Shelby Roe added eight, while Sarah Blevins had seven boards.

Roe's free throw with 17.9 seconds remaining snapped a 45-all deadlock, but she missed her second attempt. The Eagles went the other way, and Kust's rainbow from the top of the key was money.

"I was just praying it went in," said Kust, a junior forward. "I wasn't really thinking about anything. I was just focusing on the basket."

Rachael Arington (14), Kust (13) and Erin McGuire (11) all scored in twin digits for CHCA, which improved to 22-0. Taylor Dixon added eight points and 11 rebounds.

"It's just exhilaration and relief," Eagles coach Lisa Elam said. "Madison is just so good. We respect them very much. It's just unfortunate that one of us has to go home with a loss."

The margin was never bigger than four all night in a contest that was knotted at 34-34 heading into the final stanza.

"Their 2-3 zone hurt us a little bit in the second half," Rossi said. "We came out and took a few too many threes."

McGuire, CHCA's center, did all her scoring in the second half, marking eight points in the fourth period.

The Eagles moved ahead 45-43 on an Arington trey with 1:06 left, only to watch Madison take the lead on three conversions at the foul line — two by Hoskins with 31.5 on the clock and one by Roe.

Kust and McGuire each snagged eight boards for CHCA, which lost its best player, senior forward Kaci Kust, to a knee injury late in the regular season.

The Mohawks, ranked sixth in the final state poll, only have three seniors. Blevins will be the lone departing starter.

"We're extremely proud of our girls," Rossi said. "Not only did we put a stamp on our local region this year, we also put a stamp on the state of Ohio. I just wish we were playing next weekend."