‘All the work we have done is paying off.’ This time, South Medford gets past Barlow, sending Panthers to 6A state title game

“This year, we like to say that we’re coming back and proving ourselves time and time again. We were really, really excited to be in this game.”

By Paul Valencia | Photos by Jon Olson 

This one got out of hand in a hurry. 

It was a memory from last year, though, that made sure this game remained out of hand. 

“That was the first thing that we said in the locker room when we got into halftime,” South Medford senior Tatum Schmerbach said. “Don’t let up now. This is not the time to put on the brakes. We have to keep going.”

The Panthers are now going to the OSAA 6A girls basketball state championship game. 

South Medford used a 20-0 run in the first quarter and never looked back Friday in a 71-33 victory over the Barlow Bruins in the semifinals at the Chiles Center. The result avenged a loss to Barlow in this same game a year ago. 

Oh, and a year ago? Barlow jumped out to a huge lead before the Panthers rallied to tie.

Did the Panthers remember that?

“One-thousand percent,” Schmerbach said

So, it didn’t matter that the Panthers had a comfortable lead this year. They weren’t going to be truly comfortable until the end of the game. 

Donovyn Hunter was 9 for 12 from the field, including 3 for 4 from 3-point range, and scored 23 points to lead South Medford. Kim Ceron added 12 points. Taylor Young, Sara Schmerbach and Kendall Fealey each had nine points. Tatum Schmerback had a team-high seven rebounds.

Barlow led 4-2 a couple minutes into the game, and then the Panthers pressured the Bruins into turnover after turnover in the next six minutes.

Hunter had six points, four steals and three assists in a 20-0 run for the Panthers.

She said the mindset was different this year entering the semifinal. 

“Everyone is more confident within ourselves,” Hunter said. “We never degraded the other team but we realize that each person, individually, on our team has talent. We were focusing on that and what we can do.”

She felt that adrenaline rush when the Panthers were doing everything right in that first quarter.

“It was awesome,” she said. “Collectively, as a team, it was a cool experience being able to see all the work we have done is paying off. We still have another game, but it was cool to see.” 

Yes, that other game is against Clackamas. The No. 5 Cavaliers (24-4) beat No. 1 Jesuit in the other semifinal Friday. Clackamas and No. 2 South Medford (27-2) will play for the championship at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.

To get there, though, South Medford had to take on the team that ended its title hopes a year ago.

“We felt such a big letdown last year. We really thought we had what it took,” Tatum Schmerbach said. “This year, we like to say that we’re coming back and proving ourselves time and time again. We were really, really excited to be in this game.”

And they loved that the Bruins were there, too. 

“Super, super cool. We wanted Barlow,” Tatum Schmerbach said. “That’s who we wanted for this game, and we got it. We really seized our opportunity and took what we wanted.”

It was 22-6 after the first quarter. Barlow had six points and eight turnovers.

The press caused a number of turnovers, and even when Barlow did get the ball to its offensive end, the Bruins had a tough time finding the basket.

“Defensively, we made their best players have to really work for good shots,” South Medford coach Tom Cole said.

That was the plan entering the game.

“Stay focused. Dial in on defense,” Cole said.

Hunter, a senior, had a similar message to her teammates. She remembered last year, too.

So, now, it’s 2023, and the Panthers are in the semifinals again, playing the Bruins again. Yes, there could have been some anxiety. 

“I told my team … ‘Focus on the defense because once you get a steal, your nerves start to go down,’” Hunter said. “Everyone, I guess, took that advice.”

South Medford pushed the lead to 30 points at halftime. The fourth quarter turned into a running clock.

Barlow (23-6) will play Jesuit in the third-place game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

“It’s not the result we wanted to see,” Barlow senior Annie Koenig said. ‘We still have one more game left. This senior group, it’s going to be our last game. We’re going to try to come out as strong as possible and finish it off.”

Kennedie Shuler led Barlow with 18 points. Koenig added 10.

Even in defeat, the Bruins understand they have done something special, with a championship game appearance in 2022 and a semifinal team in 2023.

“Barlow basketball is another family,” Koenig said. “We’ve made so many memories the last two years with these runs to the Chiles. It’s been some of the best experiences I’ve had.”

Players to watch at 6A girls tournament

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