By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHILLICOTHE — How good are the Fairland Lady Dragons?

In the Division 2 district semifinals on Thursday, the Lady Dragons didn’t shoot well, had too many turnovers and several lapses on defense. And they won by 19 points.

That’s pretty good.

Fairland beat the Warren Lady Warriors 59-40 and advanced to play Unioto at 6:15 on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at Southeastern High School in the district finals.

The game will be a rematch of last season’s district tournament meeting. Unioto beat Marietta 54-39 in Thursday’s second game to set up the rematch.

Addison Godby and Bailey Russell scored 16 points each to pace Fairland (23-1) with Kamryn Barnitz adding 11 points.

Aubrey Pepper scored 16 points to lead Warren (16-8).

Both teams had trouble hitting shots and were guilty of turnovers, but Fairland was better from the perimeter as Russell and Isa Taliaferro each hit 3-pointers as the Lady Dragons opened with 8 unanswered points.

Pepper made a layup with 3:21 left in the first quarter as Warren finally got on the scoreboard only to have Barnitz knock down a 3-pointer and then got a layup as the lead went to 13-2.

Russell’s layup put Fairland up 15-4 at the end of the quarter.

Another 3-pointer by Russell put Fairland up 20-8 at the 4;39 mark but Warren got a shot jumper by Pepper and a 3-pointer by Raylen Shotwell and it was 22-13.

Barnitz and Chidester matched layups and then the Lady Dragons’ Bree Allen sank a free throw with 18 seconds left in the half as the Lady Dragons led 25-15.

But the Lady Dragons came out firing in the third quarter and put some distance between them and the Lady Warriors.

Both teams were missing shots to begin the second half although each got a basket and it was 27-17. But then Barnitz banked in a 3-pointer and Kylee Bruce made a layup and the lead was 32-17 with 4:37 on the clock.

Russell then got 2 straight layups after Warren turnovers and the lead was 36-19 and Taliaferro followed with a 3-pointer and it was 39-19.

Allen had a steal and layup to make it 45-22 but Pepper heaved up a shot that hit the basket as the buzzer sounded and it was 45-25.

Warren had a moment of hope to begin the fourth quarter as Mackenzie James-McGuire and Pepper scored to make it 45-29, but Godby converted a 3-point play and it was 51-31 with 5:05 to play.

Warren    4 11 10 15 = 40

Fairland 15 10 20 14 = 59

VINCENT WARREN (16-8): Delaney Gates 0 0 0-0 0, Sarah Pettey 3 0 3-4 9, Jayda Murray 0 0 0-0 0, Hayleigh Chidester 2 0 0-0 4, Aubrey Pepper 4 6 2 2-2 16, Madison Lynn 0 0 0-0 0, Raylen Shotwell 1 1 0-0 5, Mackenzie James-McGuire 3 0 0-0 6. Totals: 13 3 5-6 40. Rebounds: 14 (Pepper 4, Lynn 4). Turnovers: 19. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.

FAIRLAND (23-1): Isa Taliaferro 1 2 0-0 8, Addison Godby 6 0 4-5 16, Bree Allen 2 0 1-2 5, Kamryn Barnitz 2 2 1-4 11, Bailey Russell 4 2 2-2 16, Hannah Taylor 0 0 0-0 0, Kylee Bruce 1 0 1-2 3. Totals: 22-48 9-15 59. 3-pt goals: 6-18. Rebounds: 32 (Allen 9, Bruce 8). Assists: 8 (Bruce 4, Allen 2). Steals: 12 (Russell 4, Barnitz 3). Blocks: 5 (Bruce 3). Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.