Wildcats hold off Trojans
January 19, 2022 at 4:45 p.m.
Wildcats hold off Trojans
By Will Fehlinger-
But head coach Mark Foster – currently a teacher at the St. Leon school – and his feisty Cats are exorcizing some demons this year and that trend continued. Senior JD Stokes confidently knocked down his only basket of the day with 6:34 remaining in the contest, but it was large. His 3-pointer from the top of the key off classmate Chad Cox's assist put FC ahead to stay at 28-27. EC kept within two possessions until two late Cox free throws made it a 44-37 final.
The win snapped a 15-game losing skid to the neighboring Trojans and became the ninth consecutive victory of the current campaign.
Shortly after his make, Stokes was called for illegal tapping on a Brant Ertel layup that was on its way in. However, EC's Carson Pieczonka was called for a charge and senior Bridger Bolos maneuvered under the rim for two to force a timeout by Trojan coach David Disbro.
Post player Casey McQueen hit a short jumper for EC out of the break before Cox swooped in from the left side to answer. The Trojans committed a backcourt violation, leading to Cox following in his own miss for a 34-29 lead and another EC timeout.
The hosts put the Wildcats in the bonus with 3:14 on the clock and FC made 2 of 4 attempts as guards Jadyn Dennis and Caleb Mergenthal made it 36-33 with a pair of successful drives. With 90 seconds to go, Dennis cut the deficit to one with two foul shots. He'd add two more seconds later but junior Jace Lee finished twice under the basket to keep FC ahead at 40-37. Bolos and Cox rounded out the scoring from the stripe.
The low-scoring affair saw neither team find the bucket in the opening two minutes of either half. Cooper Hoog broke the scoreless tie with 5:26 left in the first frame, converting a steal. Bolos hit from the field and Cox from the foul line, but it was just a 6-4 game six minutes in following Ertel's drive and dish to Lee. Adam Sizemore sent EC ahead with a three and two Dennis FTs made it 9-6 after one.
The Trojan run reached nine on baskets by McQueen and Pieczonka. Cox then laid one in as FC responded with five straight. Dennis put in two charities for a 15-11 lead before sophomore Eli Butt laid two crafty assists to Ertel for the latter's 3-pointer and layup. McQueen finished a wild sequence ahead of the halftime buzzer to give EC an 18-16 lead at intermission.
McQueen scored his fifth straight point to put the Trojans up four at 5:58 of the third quarter. Foster stopped play to settle his guys down. Cox then stroked a three, answered by a McQueen bucket. Cox dished to Lee for a lay-in and Dennis' shot in the lane gave EC a 24-21 advantage.
An offensive foul on East Central led to a short conversion for Bolos and Ertel would put FC in front early in the fourth quarter with a pair of foul shots. Mergenthal briefly erased the lead with a 3-pointer.
Cox and Dennis each scored 14 and McQueen added 11. Ertel had 9 for FC, with Bolos and Lee getting 8 apiece.
A double weekend is on the horizon, with EIAC foe Batesville coming Friday and North Decatur visiting 24 hours later.
Scoring
FC (9-2, 3-2) – Stokes 3 (3), Hill 2, Lee 8, Cox 14 (3), Ertel 9 (3), Bolos 8
EC (8-3, 1-1) – Dennis 14, Sizemore 3 (3), McQueen 11, Pieczonka 2, Hoog 2, Mergenthal 5 (3)
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But head coach Mark Foster – currently a teacher at the St. Leon school – and his feisty Cats are exorcizing some demons this year and that trend continued. Senior JD Stokes confidently knocked down his only basket of the day with 6:34 remaining in the contest, but it was large. His 3-pointer from the top of the key off classmate Chad Cox's assist put FC ahead to stay at 28-27. EC kept within two possessions until two late Cox free throws made it a 44-37 final.
The win snapped a 15-game losing skid to the neighboring Trojans and became the ninth consecutive victory of the current campaign.
Shortly after his make, Stokes was called for illegal tapping on a Brant Ertel layup that was on its way in. However, EC's Carson Pieczonka was called for a charge and senior Bridger Bolos maneuvered under the rim for two to force a timeout by Trojan coach David Disbro.
Post player Casey McQueen hit a short jumper for EC out of the break before Cox swooped in from the left side to answer. The Trojans committed a backcourt violation, leading to Cox following in his own miss for a 34-29 lead and another EC timeout.
The hosts put the Wildcats in the bonus with 3:14 on the clock and FC made 2 of 4 attempts as guards Jadyn Dennis and Caleb Mergenthal made it 36-33 with a pair of successful drives. With 90 seconds to go, Dennis cut the deficit to one with two foul shots. He'd add two more seconds later but junior Jace Lee finished twice under the basket to keep FC ahead at 40-37. Bolos and Cox rounded out the scoring from the stripe.
The low-scoring affair saw neither team find the bucket in the opening two minutes of either half. Cooper Hoog broke the scoreless tie with 5:26 left in the first frame, converting a steal. Bolos hit from the field and Cox from the foul line, but it was just a 6-4 game six minutes in following Ertel's drive and dish to Lee. Adam Sizemore sent EC ahead with a three and two Dennis FTs made it 9-6 after one.
The Trojan run reached nine on baskets by McQueen and Pieczonka. Cox then laid one in as FC responded with five straight. Dennis put in two charities for a 15-11 lead before sophomore Eli Butt laid two crafty assists to Ertel for the latter's 3-pointer and layup. McQueen finished a wild sequence ahead of the halftime buzzer to give EC an 18-16 lead at intermission.
McQueen scored his fifth straight point to put the Trojans up four at 5:58 of the third quarter. Foster stopped play to settle his guys down. Cox then stroked a three, answered by a McQueen bucket. Cox dished to Lee for a lay-in and Dennis' shot in the lane gave EC a 24-21 advantage.
An offensive foul on East Central led to a short conversion for Bolos and Ertel would put FC in front early in the fourth quarter with a pair of foul shots. Mergenthal briefly erased the lead with a 3-pointer.
Cox and Dennis each scored 14 and McQueen added 11. Ertel had 9 for FC, with Bolos and Lee getting 8 apiece.
A double weekend is on the horizon, with EIAC foe Batesville coming Friday and North Decatur visiting 24 hours later.
Scoring
FC (9-2, 3-2) – Stokes 3 (3), Hill 2, Lee 8, Cox 14 (3), Ertel 9 (3), Bolos 8
EC (8-3, 1-1) – Dennis 14, Sizemore 3 (3), McQueen 11, Pieczonka 2, Hoog 2, Mergenthal 5 (3)
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