By Skip Weaver
Contributing writer
In the last six years, the Madison Mohawks have established themselves as a force in high school girls’ basketball.
The Mohawks set the tone for years to come when they posted a 27-1 record and finished as the Division III state runners-up in 2010. They’ve won the Southwestern Buckeye League Buckeye Division championship in five of the last six seasons and have been a top-seed in the sectional tournament four or five times in the last six years, according to veteran coach John Rossi Jr.
So, needless to say, expectations were high coming into the season.
“Expectations were high, but we may not have lived up to them early on,” Rossi said.
Madison started the year with five consecutive wins but was tripped up in a loss to Valley View in early December. The Mohawks then dropped a heartbreaker to perennial Division II powerhouse Alter to begin the new year but have recovered well down the stretch with comparable wins over Anna and Carroll.
“Valley View was an eye-opener,” Rossi said. “Sometimes you learn more from a loss than a win.”
Senior Meghan Miller, who leads the team in scoring with nearly 15 points per game, agreed with her coach.
“I think (the Valley View loss) showed us that we have to give 110 percent every game,” Miller said. “We can’t slack off at all.”
After the loss to Alter, the Mohawks have won nine straight for a 19-2 record heading into the tournament. Wins during that stretch included Anna and Carroll
“Those wins bring a spark of confidence to the players, coaches and fans and have spring-boarded us into this second season,” Rossi said. “But we’re not going to win just because we are a No. 1 seed. That’s just a number. We can’t let our guard down. We have to rise to the occasion and play our game.”
Miller said the program's recent tradition has made them a target for other teams.
“I think there is a little pressure because there is a target on our backs because of the name on our jerseys,” Miller said. “But this team plays well under pressure. We lost a couple of games, but we picked it up and have been on a great run with everything coming together at the right time.”
Madison opens the sectional tournament at 1 p.m. on Saturday against Purcell Marian at Edgewood High School.
In other first-round tournament action this week:
D-II at Lebanon: Monroe lost its opening –round tournament game against top-seeded Bellbrook, 92-30 on Thursday night. The Hornets end the season with a 2-21 record.
D-III at Edgewood: Fifth-seeded Fenwick (11-11) will take on the Carlisle-Reading winner at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
D-IV at Monroe: No. 6 seed Middletown Christian (11-9) faces Cedarville at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
D-I at Lakota East: The 21st seed Middletown (9-13) will face the Kings-Walnut Hills winner at 6 p.m. on Thursday at Lakota East.
