Cameron Secures Fifth Consecutive OVAC Title with Victory Over Frontier

Photo by: Jordan Holland

Cameron’s Kendra Thomas (00) drives to the basket while Frontier’s Willow Smitley (44) defends during the OVAC 1A championship game.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio — Many doubted Cameron’s chances this season after they lost four starters. Yet, on Saturday, they proved everyone wrong by winning the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference 1A championship for the fifth straight year, defeating Frontier 57-41.

“This win means a lot for us,” said Coach Holly Pettit. “People thought we wouldn’t make it far because we lost key players. But this team worked hard to show how strong they are.”

Cameron relied heavily on their two standout players. Maci Neely and freshman Kendra Thomas each scored 20 points, sharing the top scoring honors. Thomas was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, even though she’s just starting her high school career.

“They could’ve both received the MVP award,” Pettit noted. “Kendra can lead, and Maci inspires the team to play their best.”

Macey Bertram also made a strong contribution with 12 points, and both she and Kendra Thomas had three assists each. Aubrey Thomas controlled the boards, grabbing seven rebounds.

Coach Mike Cisler of Frontier praised Cameron’s strong defense before the game. His team struggled to find their rhythm, shooting just 32.5% and turning the ball over 19 times.

“Cameron’s defense affected our play,” Cisler said. “We couldn’t recover after they took control.”

The game started evenly but quickly turned in Cameron’s favor. They went on a scoring run, ending the first quarter leading 11-6. A dominant second quarter extended their lead to 30-11 by halftime.

In the second half, Frontier tried to bounce back. Kelsey Dye and Keeley Barrows hit some key shots to reduce the lead to 12 points. But Cameron answered back, maintaining a solid lead throughout the game.

Even with the loss, Frontier achieved one of their goals by reaching the finals. “I’m proud of my girls,” Cisler said. “We’ll have everyone back next year. This experience will be valuable.”

Cameron’s victory is a testament to their hard work and resilience. Each player stepped up, showing that even in the face of doubt, they could rise to the occasion.