By Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHILLICOTHE — The Fairland Lady Dragons ate the Unioto Lady Shermans’ lunch and then for dessert: turnovers.

The Lady Dragons shut down the Unioto offense and the defense forced 24 turnovers in a 64-27 romp on Wednesday as they won the Division 2 district championship and a berth in the regionals.

Fairland (24-1) will play at 6 p.m. on Tuesday in Zanesville against the winner of Saturday’s game between West Muskingum and West Holmes. West Muskingum beat Philo 47-26 and West Holmes beat Dover 24-19.

Fairland was dialing up shots from long distance by making 12-of-28 3-point attempts while limiting Unioto to 2-of-14 from behind the arc.

“It started with defense. We just played really tight defense. The kids did what we needed to do according to what was on the scouting report. We provided help and our kids did an excelling job of executing what we did in practice,” said Lady Dragons’ coach Jon Buchanan.

The Lady Dragons shot 24-of-57 overall for 42 percent. The Lady Shermans were 11-of-42 from the field for just 26 percent.

Fairland had 4 players in double figures led by Kamryn Barnitz who scored 16 points and hit 4-of-9 from 3-point range. Bree Allen also made 4 trifectas on 4-of-7 shooting and finished with 14 points.

Bailey Russell and Kylee Bruce scored 13 points each.

Allen also had 9 rebounds and Bruce grabbed 7, Isa Taliaferro had 5 assists and Addison Godby had 4 steals while also defending Unioto’s leading scorer Milee Smith and limiting her to 12 points.

Smith hit a 3-pointer to start the game only to be matched by Allen. Amaris Betts had a layup and Unioto was up 5-3.

It was the Lady Shermans’ last lead.

Bruce made a layup and Russell drained a 3-pointer and it was 8-5. Smith followed up her own shot to make it 8-7 but then Failand went on a 7-2 run to end the quarter and it was 15-9.

The Lady Dragons went to lunch to start the second quarter and really chowed down as they ran off 14 unanswered points capped by a longer 3-pointer by Barnitz and it was 29-9 at the 1:47 mark.

“We had some kids make some perimeter shots. Unioto started in a zone and then we made some shots and made them go to some defenses they didn’t want to go to,” said Buchanan.

Smith made 2 free throws to end the run but Allen answered with a 3-pointer and Amelia Uhrig got Unioto’s only basket of the quarter and it was 32-13 at the half.

Unioto was guilty of 16 turnovers in the first half.

Fairland didn’t let up in the third quarter.

After Smith made a free throw to start the half, Fairland outscored the Lady Shermans 16-2 and led 48-16 when Allen hit another 3-pointer.

Magnolia Holbert hit a 3-pointer for Unioto but Bruce had a trey and the lead was 51-21. Barnitz knocked down a trifecta just before the buzzer and the lead was an insurmountable 55-23.

Unioto    9 4 10 4 = 27

Fairland 15 17 23 9 = 64

CHILLICOTHE UNIOTO (21-4): Magnolia Holbert 0 1 0-0 3, Jade Steward 0 0 0-0 0, Amaris Betts 2 0 0-0 4, Mya Free 0 0 0-0 0, Aidyn Dannison 1 0 0-0 2, Abbie Marshall 0 0 0-0 0, Amelia Uhrig 3 0 0-0 6, Milee Smith 3 1 3-4 12, Kendal Walker 0 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Dollison 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11-42 3-4 27, 3-pt goals: 2-14. Rebounds: 24 (Smith 5, Stewart 5). Turnovers: 24. Fouls: 10. Fouled out: None.

FAIRLAND (24-1): Teagan Leep 1 0 0-0 2, Isa Taliaferro 0 0 1-2 1, Allison Godby 2 0 1-2 5, Sierra Pemberton 0 0 0-0 0, Bree Allen 1 4 0-0 14, Kamryn Barnitz 2 4 0-1 16, Bailey Russell 1 3 2-2 13, Avery Byers 0 0 0-0 0, Hannah Taylor 0 0 0-2 0, Kylee Bruce 5 1 0-0 13. Totals: 24-57 4-9 64. 3-pt goals: 12-28. Rebounds: 29 (Allen 9, Bruce 7). Assists: 17 (Taliaferro 5, Bruce 3, Russell 3, Barnitz 3). Steals: 10 (Godby 4, Russell 3). Turnovers: 7. Fouls: 8. Fouled out: None.