Columbus Grove threw the first punch and kept them coming as it built a 20-2 lead in the first quarter of Saturday’s Division VI girls basketball state championship. The lead grew to as many as 25, but Rootstown wouldn’t quit.

Rootstown girls basketball makes its OHSAA state title game debut Saturday. Get live score updates here from the championship game vs. Columbus Grove.

Kelsey Bittecuffer led Rootstown in scoring with 12 points, followed by Elliot Smallfield with 10 points. As a team, Rootstown, the Division VI runner-up, scored over half of its points from three (8 of 18) and shot 31% from the field (13 of 42).