Staff photo / Brian Yauger The Western Reserve Blue Devils celebrate after winning the district title over Cornerstone Christian, 48-35.

MINERAL RIDGE — The old adage goes “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish that matters.”

Despite a slow start, the Western Reserve Blue Devils weren’t content with laying down.

Western Reserve stormed back and controlled the second half, taking down Cornerstone Christian, 48-35, to win the program’s sixth district crown under coach Steve Miller, and once again, return to the regional stage.

“This is our home away from home. We’ve been in this championship game eight times now and we’ve won it six times, and every time we’ve done it, it’s been at this place,” Miller said. “Our fans are used to coming here, our players are used to coming here. These girls for the most part, most of them were in attendance watching the program get here and do this, since 2014 when it all started.

“I’m extremely proud and I’m extremely happy. I knew it was going to be a tough one, and I’m looking forward to just enjoying this one and then getting back to work.”

While Western Reserve controlled the second half, limiting the Patriots to just eight points, Cornerstone limited the Blue Devils well in the first.

Western Reserve scored nine points in each of the first two quarters, and went into the locker room down 27-18.

“We wanted to take away their shooters in the first (half) and we did that. I don’t even know if their shooters didn’t even hit a shot in the first half and they’re up by nine, so I’m a little worried, but at the same time, I thought we could do a better job stopping their dribble-drives in the second half. I thought we would adjust to the 1-3-1 (defense), just because we had seen it so much.

“I told them (at halftime) that nine points isn’t insurmountable, but you can’t go out and try to get this in a possession or two. Let’s just try to get it to six or seven going into the fourth, and then boy, what a run we made. We got some open looks, we got some shots to fall and I couldn’t be more proud of the defensive effort that we had today.”

Giana Leone beat the buzzer in the third quarter to tie the game at 32, fully erasing a Cornerstone lead that got as big as 21-9 in the second quarter. They wouldn’t trail for the rest of the game.

Leone’s buzzer-beater lit the Blue Devils ablaze, and nothing could quelch that fire but the final horn.

Kylee Ramsey paced Western Reserve on Saturday, scoring a game-high 18 points. Quincy Miller tacked on 15.

The Blue Devils will play Mogadore in a Division VII, Massillon Regional semifinal contest. The game is set for 8 p.m. at Massillon Perry High School on Thursday.

Western Reserve scrimmaged Mogadore early in the season, so there’s a hint of familiarity. The Blue Devils hope that provides an advantage as they search for their first win on the regional stage.

“We’re playing a Mogadore team that – it seems like forever ago – but we went there and we scrimmaged them,” Miller said. “Both coaches know each other, the girls are going to be familiar. That team is so gritty. We’re very similar. Both teams are very scrappy and very gritty, and those are hard teams to knock out.

“I don’t think either team’s going to lose next week, but one team’s going to win.”