Willard, Norwalk enter final stretch in similar spots

NORWALK — Joe Bedingfield said he would have felt the same way, win or lose. And since the Willard coach has already experienced both sides of it in recent weeks, there is a lot of truth in his post-game thoughts on Jan. 20 at Norwalk High School. "A game like this can only help our team," Bedingfield said after the Crimson Flashes improved to 11-2 following a wild 70-68 overtime win over the host Truckers in a non-league game at NHS. Willard — which moved up one spot from ninth to No. 8 in this week's Associated Press state poll in Division II — trailed by 14 points with 11:21 left in regulation. The Flashes had a chance to win in regulation before ultimately doing so in the four-minute overtime. The game was less than two weeks removed from a 66-64 home loss to Sandusky (9-1) on Jan. 9. Both the Blue Streaks and Truckers (8-5) are in Div. I this season, but both offer Willard a glimpse of what it will see in the tournament. How difficult is Willard's district shaping up to be? Three of the teams, including the Flashes, are among the top 10 teams in the state poll this week. Lexington (15-1) is No. 2, followed by Willard, and its longtime rival Shelby (9-2) is 10th. The district also includes perennial contender Mansfield Senior (10-3); Bellevue (10-3) and Tiffin Columbian (8-4). That rugged field is a big reason why the Flashes play a non-league schedule that includes Norwalk, Sandusky, Div. III Carey (9-4), Columbian and Div. IV Open Door Christian (8-6). Willard also plays Margaretta (12-1) — ranked fifth in Div. III — twice as SBC Bay Division opponents. "Hopefully (this comeback) builds our confidence," Bedingfield said after the win at Norwalk. "We are going to be in some tight games. We've been in several already. "We know how good our district is, and our non-league schedule is very good. This is a very good win on the road, so I'm happy for our kids." Willard finished the comeback and won the game with two starters fouling out. The Flashes are not a deep team — Max Dawson (25.6 points per game), Cam Robinson (17.4) and Jackson Beamer (7.5) account for 50.5 of the team's 64.8 points per game. But against Norwalk, it was Isaac Robinson (5.9 points) who made six 3-pointers and scored 18 points. However, he and Cam Robinson both fouled out in the later stages of the contest. That led to senior Aiden Slone coming in off the bench. He grabbed a loose ball deflected off a missed free throw in overtime and was fouled with 5.3 seconds left. Despite not attempting a shot, Slone made both free throws and the Flashes' completed the comeback. "We talk about it all the time, and we go through situational drills so we can put our kids in those situations," Bedingfield said. "It's not the same in practice, but they know what we want from them at both ends of the floor. "But just a lot of credit to the kids and players for stepping up and making tough baskets. With the way Norwalk shot the ball, it was a lot to overcome and find a way — and they did that." For his part, Slone — who did not play last season — embraces the role he plays for the Flashes. Ultimately, if Willard is going to beat a quality opponent in the tournament, it's going to take more than Dawson and Robinson carrying the load. "We worked for this for a long time," Slone said. "We went to a lot of camps this summer, so to win a game like this is pretty nice. Max is a D2 commit (Ashland University) for a reason, and sometimes we rely on him a lot. "But these types of games where he had to really work to get 25 points, others have to step up." Another close call for Norwalk Meanwhile, the Truckers find themselves in a similar situation as the Flashes. Six of their 13 games have been decided in the final 30 seconds of regulation and overtime. Norwalk is 3-3 in those games, however, it lost double-digit leads in the second half in all three defeats to Oregon Clay, Ontario and Willard. Back up to Div. I for the first time in 10 years, the Truckers still have big tests remaining, starting with Tuesday night at Sandusky. The game was slated for Jan. 19, but was pushed back a few days because of the weather from last week's storm and below-freezing temperatures. To be prepared to win at the big-school level in the tournament, the Truckers will need to face quality teams in tight situations, like they've done for nearly half their games. Norwalk also visits Columbian and hosts Perkins (5-5) and Sandusky yet within league play among its final nine games. "We can play with anyone," Norwalk head coach Adam Kreischer said. His team's worst loss is a 55-42 loss to the Tornadoes in a game that saw Tiffin go on a 20-0 scoring run. "We are a pretty good team." The Truckers have just one senior, Dalton Chapin (10.1 points, 4.3 rebounds) on their roster. "We are still trying to find our way down the stretch in games," Kreischer said. "We're still trying to find the right guys who are confident enough to do the right things, and do the little things, down the stretch in those crucial moments. "We are going to be put in those spots again, and hopefully when we have the lead in the fourth quarter, we'll step up and knock down those free throws for a different outcome."