H.S. basketball: Inspired Carroll girls top Bellbrook

Some teams wear black bands on their uniforms to remind them of a coach they’ve lost.

Carroll High School’s girls basketball players simply let their play honor a fallen mentor. No other nod needed.

“Every day,” Carroll senior Morgan King said. “Even when we’re watching film we can hear him screaming and we know he’s up there. ‘Go get the ball, box out, rebound.’ He still motivates us.”

The Patriots are pressing on after the passing of former coach Rob Berry, who succumbed to brain cancer July 21. Berry led Carroll to 260 wins, seven league titles, seven district titles and one state final (D-II runner-up in 2011) in 14 years. He coached last season while battling his illness. Berry was 64.

This is year one under coach Cecilia Grosselin.

Grosselin, Berry’s main assistant since 2012 and on staff since 2008, took over the program and has continued to harp on the legacy Berry built.

The Patriots play with the same passion and purpose that Berry preached, and the results are similar too.

Overcoming a 12-point third-quarter deficit, Carroll battled back on the road Wednesday night to beat host Bellbrook 48-40 in a match-up of Ohio Division II postseason favorites.

The Patriots improved to a surprising 5-0. Carroll also owns wins over Marion Pleasant (last year’s D-III state runner-up), Fairmont, Miamisburg and Miami Valley.

Berry would be pleased.

“We’re definitely playing for him,” Carroll senior Amanda Schroeder said. “Every game we know we need to go out and do the things he taught us. We know he’s up there coaching us. He’s just not here.”

“Losing him has definitely made us a lot stronger,” King said. “It’s giving us a purpose to play. We’ve dedicated this season to him.”

Carroll had solid seasons under Berry but wants to make the first without him extra special.

So far, so good.

Against Bellbrook the Patriots showed resilience and a deft shooting touch, particularly from the free-throw line.

Carroll hit 18-of-20 free throws against the Eagles. In a 40-39 win over Fairmont, the Patriots were 18-of-21 from the line.

Schroeder has done her best to impress as well.

The Greater Catholic League Co-Ed Division’s leading scorer (21.8 points per game), Schroeder scored 17 against Bellbrook. She also leads the GCL in blocks (two per game) and is second in rebounds (10).

King scored a game-high 21 against Bellbrook.

Those two are part of a standout senior class that has helped Grosselin successfully transition into the role of Carroll’s new head coach.

“It was big of her to step up and take (the job),” Schroeder said. “We’re all proud of her and what she’s done. She’s taken over and she really gets us girls.”

“No hesitation,” Grosselin said. “I knew the girls would work hard, and being Rob’s assistant, it was a decision that I wanted to make for them so that they could have the kind of season they want.

“These girls played for Rob for three years, since they were freshmen. It’s important for them to have a great season in his honor.”

Carroll still has plenty of hurdles.

Non-league tests with Beavercreek, Wayne, Tecumseh and Tippecanoe remain. So do two dates with rival Alter.

One constant for Carroll? It’s new uniforms. Berry ordered those before he passed.

“The girls are working really hard and a lot of it is due to his memory,” Grosselin said. “There are a lot of things that I remind them that he used to say. Just little things. I think they like hearing it. It brings him back to them.”

Said Schroeder: “We still miss Rob, but we know he’s in a better place. We’re dedicating the season to him and we know he’s watching.

“We hope he’s proud.”

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