Margaretta holds off Willard in pivotal Bay Division battle CASTALIA, Ohio — Margaretta expected a physical, tightly contested game and responded with timely defense down the stretch. The Division VI No. 2 Polar Bears came up with key stops late to secure a 46-42 win over Division V No. 9 Willard (8-2, 4-1) on Saturday in an important Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division matchup. Margaretta (10-1, 5-0 SBC Bay) broke a tie late in the third quarter and maintained control the rest of the way, extending its league winning streak to 49 games. With the score tied at 32, Thea Wybensinger knocked down a 3-pointer just before the end of the third quarter to swing momentum. Ellyse Schaefer followed by opening the fourth quarter with another triple, giving the Polar Bears a six-point cushion. After forcing a missed shot with under 20 seconds remaining, Margaretta controlled the rebound and forced Willard to foul. Ellyse Schaefer split a pair of free throws with 8.3 seconds left, extending the lead to four. Willard was unable to convert on its final possession, and a desperation attempt fell harmlessly as time expired. After briefly falling behind by five, the Polar Bears turned to their bench for a spark. Lanie Schaefer delivered with a 3-pointer and two free throws, helping Margaretta take a 23-21 advantage into halftime. Cassidy Lane anchored Margaretta inside, finishing with seven points and 11 rebounds. Wybensinger led the Polar Bears with 11 points, while Kenadie Saylor added nine and Ellyse Schaefer scored eight. Margaretta continues play Tuesday at home against Norwalk. MARGARETTA (10-1, 5-0) Ashlyn Kingsborough 1 0-0 2, Thea Wybensinger 4 1-1 11, Cassidy Lane 2 3-4 7, Ellyse Schaefer 2 2-4 8, Kenadie Saylor 2 5-8 9, Lanie Schaefer 2 2-2 7, Lillian Belak 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 13-19 46 Quarter-by-quarter scoring Willard — 12 9 11 10 — 42 Margaretta — 10 13 12 11 — 46 Three-point goals: Willard 2 (Tallman 2); Margaretta 5 (E. Schaefer 2, Wybensinger 2, L. Schaefer)