OLMSTED FALLS, Ohio — The OHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament started yesterday in Dayton and continues today.
Northeast Ohio will be well represented as Olmsted Falls competes in the final four for the first time in program history.
Despite it being cold outside, these girls are on fire!
"We just want to win it all. We've never done it, and we're making history by making it to the Final Four. We want to win it, we don't wanna go home without the trophy," said senior point guard Paige Kohler.
Kohler says the secret to the team's success is their friendship both on and off the court.
"We're just all best friends off the court, and I think you can see that on the court, just how we play together and move the ball," said Kohler.
Forward Mia Kalich says at just six years old, she began playing the game of basketball. Winning the championship with the girls she started playing basketball with, would be a dream come true.
"We're so close off the court. I mean, we're always hanging out, and we're always either getting food after practice or having a movie night at someone's house at team sleepovers. So that friendship and camaraderie off the court translates to what we do on the court," said Kalich.
Kalich says because of that friendship, they’ve been able to become regional champions. She hopes that together, the Bulldogs can win the Division 1 championship title.
"I think one of the biggest things for us is to play with a lot of effort and intensity, so a lot of communication on the defensive end and then moving the ball on offense and just playing our game really is going to help us win," said Kalcih.
And for those naysayers, Kohler has just one message. "I think they just need to see us play. You can just see it on the court."
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on Oct. 20, 2022, in an unrelated story.