Women's Basketball and the Stock Market

Rob McCurdy: Girls hoops 'stock market' hard to predict this season
By ROB MCCURDY

Bears and bulls. Highs and lows. Gains and losses.
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Mirroring the volatile Dow Jones ticker and the wildly fluctuating stock market, it's been an unpredictable girls basketball scene this season.

The business show experts tell us to buy low and sell high.

Guess that means I should have sold Mansfield Senior after its 69-55 win over Madison. The Tygers haven't scored more than 41 points since.

Guess that means I should have bought Clear Fork before it upset Mansfield Senior and Orrville in the last week.

It's been a tough market to figure this year. But with three weeks left in the regular season, here's some five-star analysis of where it's at right now. Of course, all could change on the next trading day.
Blue Chip Stocks

Bucyrus is the preferred stock in the area. The Redmen count among their assets a pair of 1,000-point scorers in Chelsea Hawkins and Kelsee Rehm, plus a roster filled with experienced seniors.

Colonel Crawford is looking bullish, but it has yet to beat a team with a better record than itself, so there could be a glass ceiling.

Loudonville and Crestview could be the area's only conference champions as both control their own destiny. The Redbirds have won seven of eight, while the Cougars are on a six-game streak.
Falling Stocks

The Tygers have lost four straight, but they're being taxed at the offensive end.

"We've got to start finding our scoring punch back," Senior High coach Todd Krill said Sunday night. "I think we're playing good defense. We're holding teams down, but we're way down on our end.

"We've got time and hopefully we'll get better before the tournament."

The Crimson Flashes' futures look bright since the roster is dominated by underclassmen, but like any start-ups there are rough patches. Willard has lost four of its last six heading into a game with state-ranked Tiffin Columbian.

Wynford was 7-3. Today the Royals are 8-7. While there's no shame in losing to Carey, Colonel Crawford and Bucyrus, a one-point loss at Buckeye Central was a day when the bear got them.

"I think we're trying to improve as we head to the tournament," Wynford coach Amy Taylor-Sheldon said. "I think we need to find kids to be more consistent ... I have to be more consistent, too."

Ontario reflects the up-and-down market. Three straight wins, three straight losses, three more wins, three losses in four, it's been one of those years for the Warriors.
Rising Stocks

After starting the season 2-5, Plymouth rolled off seven consecutive wins. If Tuesday's game at Crestview ends six seconds sooner, the streak might be up to eight.

"We start three sophomores. We'll figure it out," first-year coach Scott Speicher said. "The kids play hard ... that's the big thing."

Shelby's net worth was its lowest when it lost 67-46 at Willard to fall to 5-8. Since that low-water mark, the Whippets have ripped off four wins in a row to go over .500 for the first time since winning their opener. Now that's a big board rally.

Clear Fork's volatility is off the charts. The Colts lose to Lexington and follow it by drubbing a decent Wooster team. They drop tough ones to Madison and Ashland, then knock off Mansfield Senior. After getting blown out against West Holmes, they go to Orrville and pull off the upset of the Ohio Cardinal Conference season.

Gilead Christian is hardly a penny stock, but its price took a tumble when it didn't look very good in losing at St. Peter's in mid-January. Since then, the Eagles have won seven in a row, albeit against soft competition.

rmccurdy@nncogannett.com 419-521-7241

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