Coach in first meeting with VB Photo Courtesy of jladd

Trotwood shut down the Aviators inside game, but Cassell got hot from outside, including sinking four 3-pointers.

“She (Cassell) is a catalyst,” said Butler coach John Schmidt. “She was hitting shots (Saturday).”

The second half started out the way the first half ended, as Cassell, the University of Akron-bound senior who leads the Aviators by averaging 11.3 points per game, connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to increase Butler’s lead to 16 points.

Trotwood rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Aviators 25-19, but it wasn’t enough to make up for the second- and third-quarter surges by Butler.

Remembering what happened the last time the two teams met, Cassell and the rest of the Aviators wanted to come out and make a statement.

“We focused all week on what they did,” Cassell said. “We worked on our free throws. They win you big games.”

Cassell made 12 of the Aviators’ 23 free throws for the game, and those points matched the margin of victory for Butler.

“When you don’t make free throws, weird things can happen,” said Schmidt.

The win, Butler’s fourth straight, improved the Aviators to 12-4 overall and 4-2 in the GWOC North.

Blake Cokes and Nia Nolan each scored 13 points for Trotwood (11-5, 4-1 GWOC North), which still leads the division after tying Butler for the title last season at 7-1, although the Rams finished 11-10 overall.

“Our game plan worked out pretty well,” Schmidt said. “This will tell people in the area that Vandalia is good and we’re gonna come to play.”