In a tight league like the Western Reserve Conference, it’s nice to have a closer to go to down the stretch. Like a Mariano Rivera type of hammer to put the game away. Morgan Cicek is that kind of player for the Kenston Bombers. After visiting Mayfield cut Kenston’s 15-point lead to three at the start of the fourth quarter, Cicek scored 11 of her game-high 25 points in the final stanza to help the Bombers take a 60-54 win that keeps them in the thick of things in the snug WRC race. With the win, Kenston improves to 9-5 overall and 4-1 in the WRC, just one game back from league-leading Riverside, which defeated the Bombers by one earlier in the season. “After four years she’s probably tired of me, but I’m not tired of her,” Coach Kevin Hinkle said of his team’s talented senior guard. “She’s really turned her game on the last month or so. She wants the ball in her hands.” Mayfield coach Cullen Harris signals to his players during a WRC game at Kenston on Jan. 21. (John Kampf - The News-Herald) When Mayfield’s Sienna Giancola hit a 3 to start the fourth, the Kenston faithful started to bristle in their seats. After all, midway through the third quarter two straight Trinity Osterman putbacks gave the home team a 44-29 lead and everyone was getting kinda comfy. With Kenston’s lead whittled to three, Cicek took matters into her own hands. She hit a 3 to make it a six-point game and then hit a driving layup. Seemingly every time Mayfield tried to make a run and take a lead, Cicek had an answer. After Sydney Montgomery made two free throws with 5:31 left to make it 54-50, Cicek hit a short runner in the lane to push the lead back out to six. Late in the game, Montgomery drained a pair of shots to make it 58-54, but Cicek was fouled going to the hoop and made both free throws. Mayfield had the ball twice in the final 30 seconds but turned the ball over and thus wasn’t able to make another run. “I think it’s just through the years learning to keep our energy up,” Cicek said of the key to fending off Mayfield’s repeated runs. “We know we’re capable of keeping the lead and playing as a team by keeping our energy up.” When the game ended, Mayfield coach Cullen Harris made a point to greet his disappointed players as they came off the court by clapping and applauding their efforts to make a close game out of what at one point looked as if it was going to be a blowout. “Tonight quite get over that hump,” Harris said. “I’m really proud of the effort. We left it all out there. Sometimes you lose close basketball games. That’s what happened tonight.” A big reason why Mayfield was able to get back into the game in the third was the marvelous performance by Montgomery. She scored 12 of her team-high 21 points in the third, including a trio of 3-pointers. “Tough kid who isn’t afraid,” Harris said. “She’s aggressive. She’s able to get some springs and get those offensive rebounds. She’s also tenacious. That ball is up there, she wants to go get it and get the putback and help her team win. I’m proud of her.” Harris only played five girls in the game, but still played a full-court pressure-type defense throughout. “We know we’re undersized,” he said. “We know we’re not the biggest and strongest team. We’re mentally tough. We teach grit, and the kids really showed that tonight.” Aside from Williams’ 21, Ashley Januszewski had 13. For Kenston, Cicek’s 25 was supplemented by 16 from Osterman and 10 from Aurora Young. Ten of Osterman’s came in the second period. “She’s stepped up for us in multiple games,” Cicek said of her team’s 6-foot sophomore post player. “Having that height advantage in this league, that’s something we’re looking for.” Mayfield (8-5, 2-2 WRC) faces North on Jan. 24, while Kenston hosts Chardon. “We’re taking it one game at a time,” Hinkle said. “We know we have five more (league games) to go. We technically control our own destiny. All we’re gonna talk about now is Chardon.” ...read more read less