By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

LAKOTA — The Fairland Lady Dragons climbed another rung on the state tournament ladder.

Fairland knocked off the Waynesville Lady Spartans 59-46 on Wednesday at Lakota East High School to earn a berth in the regional finals, thus putting the Lady Dragons one win from a third straight Final Four.

Fairland (20-5) will play in the regional finals at 5 p.m. on Saturday against Versailles who beat Brookville 70-66 in double overtime.

The game was tied twice early before Fairland took the lead for good on layups by Ava Layne and Addyson Cornell made layups and Kamryn Barnitz hit a 12-footer to make it 10-4 with 2:21 on the clock.

Bailey Russell’s 3-pointer made it 13-7 before the Lady Spartans got within 15-11 to end the quarter.

Fairland’s defense held Waynesville to just 4 points in the second quarter.

Barnitz hit a 3-pointer and Cornell had 4 points as the Lady Dragons led 26-15 at the break.

The scoring picked up in the third quarter as Fairland outscored Waynesville 22-20 to go up 48-35.

Layne hit a 3-pointer and scored 9 points, Russell had 7 points and Addison Godby 6 points.

Tori See scored 8 points and Katie Berrey drilled a pair of 3-pointers for the Lady Spartans.

A layup by Grace Cordery had the Lady Spartans down 53-40, but Godby scored with 4:36 to play and the lead was 55-40.

Fairland used a 4-corner offense to run time off the clock. Forced to foul, Isa Taliaffero and Russell both converted 2 of 2 from the line over the final 1:12 of the game.

The Lady Dragons had three players in double figures as Russell scored 17, Godby had 14 and Layne netted 13.

See scored 16 and Maggie Stephenson 10 for the Lady Spartans (21-5).

In the Logan Region 19, Portsmouth beat Tuscarawas Valley 48-35 and Minford downed Belmont Union Local 47-31. The regional final will be at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

In Region 18, Ottawa-Glandorf beat Johnstown 47-22 and Columbus Africentric edged Clear Fork 56-54.

In Region 17, Canton South topped Liberty Benton 39-26 while Creston Norwayne beat Doylestown Chippewa 42-38.

Fairland 15 11 22 11 = 59

Waynesville 11 4 20 11 = 46

FAIRLAND (20-5): Taegan Leep 0 0 0-0 0, Isa Taliaferro 1 0 0-0 2, Ava Layne 3 1 4-4 13, Addison Godby 7 0 0-0 14, Addyson Cornell 0 0 0-0 0, Kamryn Barnitz 1 1 0-0 5, Bailey Russell 4 2 3-4 17. Totals: 24-47.  3-pt goals: 4-14. Rebounds: 4-O 21-D = 25 (Godby 11, Barnitz 5). Assists: 15 (Godby 5, Taliaferro 5). Steals: 9 (Godby 4, Russell 2). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.

WAYNESVILLE (21-5): Katie Berrey 1 2 0-0 8, Avery Whitaker 1 0 0-0 2, Tori See 6 0 4-5 16, Maddie Kolaczkowski 0 0 0-0 0, Grace Cordery 2 0 2-2 6, Amelia Bunch 2 0 0-0 4, Maggie Stephenson 3 0 4-6 10. Totals: 15 2 10-13 46. Fouls: 13.Fouled out: None.