NTL GIRLS BASKETBALL: CANTON COMES UP JUST SHORT AGAINST SOUTHERN COLUMBIA IN DISTRICT OPENER (February 17, 2026)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
CANTON — Canton did 90-percent of what they needed to do to beat Southern Columbia on Tuesday. But to beat a team like the Tigers they needed the full 100-percent, and the Warriors had too many turnovers, and missed too many free throws as they fell, 40-33, in the quarterfinal round of the District IV, Class AA girls playoffs.

“It was the turnover bug,” Canton coach Ryan Van Noy said. “We just had too many turnovers. We got the shots we wanted from a defensive standpoint, we got the rebound, and then their pressure kind of got to us a little bit. Ultimately, I think that’s what determined the game.”

Canton finished with 20 giveaways, a number that looms larger in a contest with fewer possessions.

It also hurt that they went 4-for-12 from the line with the game tied at 33 with 1:23 left to go. If they hit a few more they have a lead down the stretch.

“That’s been our Achilles’ Heel all year long,” Van Noy said. “I think, as a team, we shoot around 50-percent, and I don’t know if it’s that high. To be honest with you that’s just been a struggle what we had all season long. We talked it with the coaching staff, I said that’s going to cost us a game down the stretch, and it was a big one today.”

There was more good than bad, though.

They led most of the way, forcing Southern into a slow it down defensive slugfest.

They more than held their own on the boards, finishing with 24 including nine offensive caroms, while also getting 19 steals as a squad.

And their big one, they held Southern Columbia’s star scorer, Kailee Helwig, to just two points. 

All in all, Van Noy couldn’t have asked for more on that side of the ball.

“We played through the roof,” remarked Van Noy. “To hold a player like Helwig to two points is unbelievable. Stella Rockwell was fantastic, and it was a team effort defensively.”

Cailyn Van Noy led Canton with a near triple-double of 12 points, 10 steals, and seven boards, while dishing out four assists.

Daveian Crowley had six points, and seven rebounds, as Rockwell finished with five points, and two steals.

Danah Wesneski had four points, while Alexis McRoberts notched three points, four boards, three assists, and five steals.

Lydia Roupp chipped in with three points.

Macie Swank had the hot hand for Southern Columbia, finishing with a game high 19 points, as Olivia Jones netted 13.

Rosie Martino scored four, with Alana Reuter, and Helwig getting two points each.

It was a back and forth first quarter with Swank hitting the game’s first jumper for a 2-0 Southern lead.

Canton came back with five straight as Van Noy hitting a 3-ball, followed by Wesneski bagging a jumper.

The Tigers then had a 5-0 run of their own to take a 7-5 lead, but a Van Noy lay-up late made it a 7-7 contest after one.

Roupp opened the second quarter with a 3-ball to give Canton the lead, a lead they never relinquished late in the third quarter.

Swank had a lay-up at the other end, but a Rockwell lay-up put Canton up 12-9.

A Reuter bucket made it a 1-point game again, but then the Warriors went on a 5-0 run. 

Van Noy had a free throw, followed by back to back buckets from Crowley for a 17-11 lead with 38 seconds left in the half.

A Jones runner cut it to a 4-point game as the teams went to the locker rooms.

Jones hit a bucket out of the break to make it 17-15, but a Van Noy steal and lay-up pushed the lead back to four points.

A Jones 3-ball cut the deficit to 19-18, but Van Noy came back with a pair of freebies.

After the two teams traded buckets for a 23-20 score Southern went on a 6-0 run to take a 26-23 lead.

Van Noy would make it 26-25 with a late jumper going into the fourth quarter.

Rockwell buried a 3-ball to kick off the fourth for a 28-26 Warrior lead.

Martino hit a bucket on Southern’s ensuing possession for a 28-all score, then Jones scored to put the Tigers up 30-28.

McRoberts found Wesneski for a bucket to make it 30-30 with 4:30 left to play.

A Swank lay-up at the other end pushed Southern back out front with 3:37 to play.

McRoberts tied things up at 32-all with a foul line jumper, then gave them a lead with 2:20 on the clock when she went 1-for-2 from the free throw line.

Jones would knot things back up with a free throw of her own with 2:02 left.

It stayed 33-33 until Swank had an And-1 with 1:03 to play for a 36-33 lead.

Canton turned it over on their ensuing possession, forcing them to foul. Swank went to the line and buried both with 33.6 seconds left for a 38-33 score.

Canton got a miss at the other end and that pretty much did it as the Tigers went 2-for-6 down the stretch from the charity stripe.

Southern Columbia will move on to face NEB in the semifinals at a time, place, and date to be determined while Canton heads into the offseason.

The Warriors say good-bye to three seniors - McRoberts, Crowley, and Emma McGhee - but return much of this year’s team for one more run next season.

Still, Van Noy knows those losses will hurt.

“All three girls are super special,” he said. “Emma, Davian, and Lex, we’ve been fortunate to have had a lot of success over the last few years, and we would not have any of it without all three of them - they made us a better basketball team. Two of them went through injuries, and they kept coming to everything. I’m just super proud of them, and I hope they take away from this what I took away from them because they’re special kids, and they’re going to be successful.”

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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

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