Columbus-area girls high school sports notebook, April 26

•A 2-0 loss to Buckeye Valley on April 23 snapped its 10-game winning streak, but the Gahanna Lincoln softball team is 16-2 overall after going 13-11 last season.

The Lions are 4-0 in the OCC-Ohio Division as they return to league action April 27 at Westland.

According to first-year coach Matt Bailey, a focus on base-running, which has produced 137 stolen bases, has been a difference maker.

Kirnan Bailey is hitting .610 with 35 steals, Ella Esterby is batting .551 with 15 doubles and 25 RBI, Sarah Carr is batting .509 with 22 RBI and 15 steals and Nicole Waters is hitting .500 with four home runs and 17 steals.

“It’s a little different philosophy,” coach Bailey said. “We’ve got over 100 stolen bases and last year we had 59 total. We do a little bit of bunt and run, a little short game and I’ve always been aggressive on the bases, but these girls have really taken charge of it. All I can ask is that they have good, quality at-bats.”

—Jarrod Ulrey

•Their body of work is limited in a season dotted with weather-related postponements, but three freshmen have played a large role for the New Albany softball team.

Grace Benner (P/2B/RF), Ava Bowersock (2B/RF) and Izzy White (1B) are full-time starters for the Eagles, who are 6-6 overall entering an April 26 game at Mount Vernon and 1-2 in the OCC-Ohio before playing Grove City on April 27.

“They are adapting very well,” coach Marc George said. “The maturity and their willingness to learn are standing out. They have to come a pretty long way as freshmen because (varsity) is a different game speed-wise and strategy-wise. They have tried to grasp what we’re trying to get done here from an offensive standpoint and base-running. We try to run the bases very hard.”

Benner threw a no-hitter April 20 in her pitching debut, striking out 10 in a 24-0, five-inning league win over Westland. Logan Riley went 6-for-6 that day and has two home runs on the season, second on the team to Jordan George’s three.

“Offensively, we are shining more than I anticipated,” coach George said. “The top of the lineup has produced a lot of RBI and shown a lot of maturity.”

New Albany still has seven league games remaining, all of which are scheduled over the next two weeks leading up to the Division I district tournament.

—Dave Purpura

•With a 12-2 win over Hartley on April 21, the Watterson softball team wrapped up the CCL championship. The Eagles are 9-4 overall and 5-0 in the league.

According to coach Shawn Bray, senior catcher Anna Emswiler and senior pitcher Julia Hall have provided strong leadership.

Hall has been splitting time in the circle with sophomore Mary Gamble.

Through 11 games, sophomore shortstop Alex Mosholder was leading in home runs (3) and RBI (17) and junior outfielder and sophomore third baseman Liz Hohlefelder both were hitting better than .500.

“(I’m) very proud of this team for winning the CCL title outright,” Bray said. “We’re still pretty young, with the bulk of the girls being sophomores. We’re just scratching the surface.”

—Jarrod Ulrey

•Already enjoying a strong season of its own, the Westerville North softball team will celebrate some of its history this week.

The Warriors will honor their 1982 Class AAA state runner-up team before their April 27 home game against Westerville South.

The Warriors are 12-4 overall and 8-0 in the OCC-Capital and bring an eight-game winning streak into April 27. Pitcher Sophie Minister has recorded more than 100 strikeouts and combined with Ailey Glasgow to no-hit Franklin Heights in a 17-0, five-inning victory April 21.

Coach Brian Anderson got his 100th career win April 25 in a 6-4 victory at Delaware in which Ryanne Wilson’s two-run home run tied the game in the fourth inning and Natalie Pyke’s two-run homer in the seventh won it.

—Dave Purpura

•The defending Division I state champion Dublin Coffman girls lacrosse team is 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the OCC-Central heading into its matchup April 26 at Olentangy Liberty.

After losing 21-4 to Upper Arlington on April 11 and Medina 11-8 on April 14, the Shamrocks won their next four, including beating Avon 12-8 and Pittsburgh Shadyside Academy 12-11 on April 23 in the Hannigan-Galipault Tournament at Thomas Worthington.

In a 13-10 win over Thomas on April 22, juniors Kate Tyack and Bailey Morris both scored their 100th career goal. Morris scored six times against the Cardinals and has 48 goals on the season, and Tyack scored three goals against Thomas and has 39 for the season.

—Jarrod Ulrey

•Junior attacker Makena Harrington scored five goals, including the 100th in her career, to help the Olentangy Liberty girls lacrosse team to a 13-7 victory over Worthington Kilbourne on April 21.

Harrington has 31 goals and 15 assists to lead the Patriots, who are on a four-game winning streak and are 8-2.

Harrington reached the milestone in a season and a half. She had 70 goals and 23 assists last spring after losing her freshman season to the COVID-19 pandemic.

—Michael Rich

•The Westerville Central girls track and field team won the Wildcat Invitational on April 22 at Westerville South, totaling 116 points to finish ahead of Watterson (99) and South (86).

Winners for the Warhawks included Olivia Pace in the 100 meters (12.17 seconds), Kayla Napper in the high jump (5 feet, 2 inches) and Amari Kiluvia in the long jump (16-11).

Marissa Saunders won the 100 hurdles (14.56) and 300 hurdles (46.21) to lead South.

Sydney Workman won the 200 (25.36) and Erin Karas finished first in the 1,600 (5:18.6) for Watterson.

—Frank DiRenna

•Wellington named Jordan Johnson as its new girls basketball coach last week, hiring him away from Independence after one season.

The 2002 graduate of Reynoldsburg and former Marietta College player was on staff at Independence for 10 seasons before taking over the program last year. He succeeds Matt Conkling, who went 5-30 in two seasons with the Jaguars.

Wellington went 4-18 overall and 0-14 in the MSL-Ohio this past season. Several key players are eligible to return, including juniors Daniela Casline (forward), Dylan Ehlers (guard/forward) and Katie Kuttras (guard) and freshman Elodie Ware (forward).

“Coach Johnson is excited to build our girls basketball program, emphasizing development for players ranging from grades (1) through 12,” athletics director Lindsey Smith said. “His passion and enthusiasm for the game are contagious.”

Independence went 13-7 overall and 9-5 in the City League-South last season.

—Dave Purpura

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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Notebook: What's happening in central Ohio girls high school sports?