LOUDONVILLE — The Loudonville girls basketball team has been a formidable force on the court in recent years.
The Redbirds secured their 4th straight title in the Mid Buckeye Conference title this year, sharing the championship with Lucas.
But this year’s road to success has been anything but simple. Loudonville’s schedule has included some daunting state-ranked teams, including Fort Loramie and Margaretta. They Redbirds have also faced several other highly-regarded teams such as Revere, West Holmes, Crestview, Lucas and Andrews Osborne.
Coach Tyler Bates said taking all that into consideration, he’s very proud of his squad’s 16-6 overall mark, including 9-1 in the MBC.
“We don’t have a ton of kids,” Bates said. “But we have a few things that most teams do not.
“We have the best player on the floor night in and night out.”
That would be senior Emily Seboe, who recently broke the school’s career scoring record.
“She has broken the school record for career points, single-season rebounds, single-game rebounds, career rebounds, career 3-pointers, single-season blocks and career blocks,” he said.
Seboe’s career statistics exemplifies her passion of the game. The 5-foot-11 senior has been a demon on the glass and at the rim. Currently she has 1,564 career points, 920 career rebounds, 240 career 3-pointers and 190 career blocks.
The 2020 Loudonville senior class includes Seboe, Annie Seboe and Kacie Hunter. They have a career record of 78-12, which is a school record as well as the best girls basketball record in Ashland County, Bates said.
“We have a true post that can play on the block in Grace Vermilya,” said Bates. “Grace is averaging 18 points and 9 rebounds on the year.”
The ‘Birds are back in action tonight at home in the sectional opener as the fifth seed against No. 12-seed Northwestern at 7 p.m. The winner tangles with fourth-seeded Smithville at Smithville on Saturday at 7 p.m. for a sectional championship.
It’s a squad that has continued a distinguished girls basketball tradition in Loudonville that dates to the 1992 team’s run to the state championship game. That group finished 25-3, falling only to Coldwater 63-47 in the Division III state finals.
How far can this year’s group go?
