Lady Celtics Make History with District Title Victory Over Darby

Columbus — Just a year ago, Dublin Jerome put together the best season in program history, finishing 17-8 and reaching the district semifinals against Teays Valley. Now, one season later, they’ve raised the bar even higher, capturing their first-ever district championship and cementing a new program milestone.

Going up against OCC rival Hilliard Darby, Dublin Jerome kept things simple and stuck to their identity—defense. Everything flowed from that foundation.

“We have to stay true to ourselves, and our defense is what we rely on,” Head Coach Karli Burkett said. “We really emphasize that, and every day they know we are running the shell drill. Whether it’s the first day or the last day of practice, we are running it.”

With both teams committed to half-court strategies, the game became a defensive chess match, where every possession mattered. The Lady Celtics took care of the ball and maintained their lead, even without any scoring from senior Angel Ezirim.

Senior Ashley Meadors recorded eight points, while Dublin Jerome adapted with some offensive flexibility, as seven different players scored in the first half. The Lady Celtics took a 21-16 lead into halftime, limiting their turnovers to just five while containing Hilliard Darby’s offense to only two relevant scorers: Gianna Lane and Taylor Cahill.

Being able to navigate a lead without any offensive output from Ezirim was huge for the Lady Celtics gameplan, “The first half was great considering that Angel was out,” Burkett said. “Ashley stepped up and carried us. They did a great job of staying ahead without Angel.”

In the third quarter, Dublin Jerome’s defense found its rhythm, forcing four turnovers that shifted momentum in their favor. This defensive pressure helped senior Angel Ezirim break through, getting on the board from the free throw line. Ezirim and Meadors combined for 10 of the Lady Celtics’ 13 points in the period, extending their lead to 34-25 heading into the final quarter.

Hilliard Darby opened the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run, cutting the deficit to just three points with 5:21 remaining. However, when it mattered most, Dublin Jerome stayed composed and executed down the stretch, pulling away to secure a 48-40 victory. With it came the first district championship in program history.

Angel Ezirim finished with 13 points, trailing only Ashley Meadors, who led the Lady Celtics with 14 points and five rebounds. Julia Adams made all six of her points from the free throw line, while Gabby Carlin and Meadow Ahijevych each grabbed five rebounds, tying Meadors for the team high.

Defensively, the Lady Celtics forced 13 turnovers but were narrowly outrebounded by Darby, 28-25. Coach Burkett acknowledged that rebounding will be a key focus in the coming days. “We weren’t doing a great job of boxing out, so we’ll have to get back on that Monday,” she said.

In the end, Dublin Jerome won their first district championship and that is all that matters for Burkett and the Lady Celtics, “It honestly means so much because this is a special group of girls,” she said. “They worked so hard and I wanted it so bad for them. They deserve it so much.”