Kayla Buehler achieves goal, reaches 1,000 points

Press Sports Editor
sports@presspublications.com

“Kayla is one of those kids that just flat-out works hard at everything she does. She has the mindset of, if she’s going to do something, she wants to do it to her full ability and do it well. Kayla has put in a lot of extra work well outside of the season. She has gone to shooting and offensive camps for years and spent hours in the gym in the off-season. She understands that the best players are made in the off-season. She is a natural leader by example (and) her teammates look up to her both on and off the court. They celebrate her big and small victories and I think that is really special, because you don’t always see that within teams.”
That’s what Eastwood girls basketball coach Brittany Butler had to say about her senior star, Kayla Buehler, one who recently reached 1,000 career points, the 12th player in the history of the program, when she scored a career-high 34 points in a 61-13 win over Rossford.
On top of that, Buehler is a great teammate, too.
“Kayla is hands down one of the most humble kids I have ever met. She is never flashy and plays the game with poise. Kayla is a player who does not just score, but finds her open teammates. She does a great job of seeing the floor and getting the ball to the open man,” said Butler. “I love the way she uplifts her teammates and is constantly speaking positively to them — whether they just made a great play or if they had a turnover and need to be picked up.”
Buehler, who is 5-7 and averages 18 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, starts as part of a three-guard lineup with the 5-7 Amelia Ward (7.9 pts., 4.2 rebs) and the 5-4 Saylor King, who is the point guard. Jordan Jensen (3.8 pts), who is 5-8, is the forward and Paige Hoodlebrink, who is 5-10, plays center.
Reilly Might, Piper Sutton and Kennedy Ameling have also seen action off the bench.
Following a 56-44 victory over Elmwood, Butler’s alma mater, the Eagles were 8-1 with a 6-0 record in the Northern Buckeye Conference. Since then, however, Eastwood lost four straight games and is 4-4 in its last eight games. “We have unfortunately endured some unwanted injuries this season. We need to regain some strength and stay healthy. We have a solid group of kids who know what postseason success feels like and what it takes to survive and advance,” said Butler. “Our soccer and volleyball teams were incredibly successful this fall, (and) carrying that mentality over to the winter tournament is crucial. There are some things we need to fine tune. We have an extremely athletic bunch — we just need to capitalize on more things, like finishing, and getting on the boards. I am excited for tournament time. It’s a clean slate and I know what our girls are capable of.
Eastwood has a chance to finish out the season on a high note. The Eagles, seeded eighth in the Div. III Anthony Wayne District, travel to No. 7 Delta to face the Panthers, and the winner travels to Defiance to face No. 4 Tinora, which beat Eastwood, 44-28, earlier in the season.
Buehler, who was named first team All-NBC, first-team all-district and honorable mention All-Ohio last year, had one of her biggest games this season in a 49-45 win over Van Buren on January 27. In the victory, Buehler scored 28 points, 16 coming in the first half when Eastwood built its lead.
There was also the 44-42 win over Genoa where she scored 23 points, and Buehler scored 18 points in the Eagles’ last victory, a 45-35 win over Otsego.
“Kayla has definitely flourished into a more rounded player from her junior to senior year. Kayla’s defensive game has really progressed. She has done a great job of trusting herself to get in the passing lanes this year. She is gutsy and takes chances. It leads to transition points and pushes her teammates to be gutsy as well. I think this year, she has become even more explosive and creative around the rim. She has become more confident in her scoring abilities both in transition and half-court offense,” said Butler. “She understands that if she is not hitting from the perimeter she has to find other ways to score and that’s what the best offensive players do. They figure out how to put the ball through the net on any given night. I am so proud of Kayla’s hard work and determination to score 1,000 points. This was something she shared with me that she has wanted to accomplish for a long time. It was exciting the night she scored not only a career high 34 points, but her 1,000th point. The feats she has accomplished and accolades received are more than well-deserved.
“I can’t say enough positive things about Kayla Buehler. She is a coach’s dream both on and off the court. I have very much enjoyed having her on my team the last two years, as she has been an incredible leader and teammate in so many ways. There is no doubt that whatever path she chooses, she will do it extremely well and inspire those around her,” Butler said.