Undefeated Fairfield Lions fend off Western; advance to district finals
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Even though they trailed at the end of the first frame, the Fairfield Lions kept their undefeated streak going, all the while continuing on the tournament road in the Division IV SE District and winning in the district semifinals against the Western Latham Indians, 56-53 at Piketon High School.
The win by the Lions improves them to 24-0 overall as they continue their historic season.
Leading the Lions in the win was Trey House with 15 points, followed by TJ Mootz with 14 points and Wyatt Collins with 11 points. Also for the Lions, final scoring included Larkin Friend with nine points, Gabe Fouch with five points and Gunner Bennington with two points.
As for the opening frame, Fairfield trailed at the end of the first quarter by a 13-11 score, as the Indians had a quick start, leading FHS by an 8-1 score.
In the second quarter, the Lions and Indians battled to where the Indians were in front with an 18-16 lead, but the Lions tied the score at 18 around the 5:00 mark with a basket by Friend.
As the quarter continued, House stole the ball and took it to the basket for a 20-18 advantage, and eventually FHS led 21-18 with a made free throw from Mootz with 3:34 left in the second frame.
Fairfield extended their lead to five points with a 23-18 score following two made free throws by House. The Indians answered with 1:30 left in the quarter with a three-point play from the Indians’ Drew Haggy for a 23-21 lead by Fairfield.
House answered with a 3-pointer for the Lions with 1:00 left in the frame.
The Lions regained possession of the ball and it was Collins who knocked down a 3-pointer, then a few seconds later he stole the ball and went the length of the court for a two-point basket at the buzzer, moving the Lions ahead by 10 points at halftime, 31-21.
Fairfield concluded the second quarter on an 8-0 run to gain their 10-point halftime lead.
The Lions opened the third quarter with a turnover, but they overcame the miscue with Mootz scoring two points in the paint.
Western sank a free throw, but that was answered with a free throw by Friend for a 34-22 Lions advantage.
The Indians hit a 3-pointer to cut the Lions’ lead to nine points, but FHS had none of that as they scored two points with a basket by Collins, with the assist from House, making the score 36-25 with just under 6:00 left in the third frame.
Following a timeout, Chase Carter of the Indians knocked down a 3-pointer, moving their deficit to eight points with 5:33 left in the third frame.
The Lions added to their lead with a bucket, putting their advantage back to 10 points with around 5:00 left in the third frame.
The lead was cut to eight points again as the Indians scored two points on a steal and fast break with 4:00 left in the quarter.
Western cut the Lions’ lead to six points with a jumper at the 3:15 mark, but Friend had a jumper of his own for the Lions, increasing their lead back to eight points. Mootz made the score 42-32 with 2:17 left in the third.
The final 2:00 of the quarter saw Western outscore the Lions, 7-4, making the Fairfield lead seven points after three frames by a 46-39 score.
Both teams had a great effort in the fourth frame, starting with the Indians scoring the first seven points of the quarter, tying the score at 46 with 5:41 left in regulation.
The Lions broke the streak with two points by Mootz, only to see the Indians score two points in the paint, tying the score this time at 48 with 5:10 on the fourth-quarter clock.
Collins sank a jumper with 4:39 left in the game, putting the Lions in front by a 50-48 score.
Western stole the ball and scored two points on a fast break with 2:18 left in the game, tying the score at 50.
Mootz pushed the Lions back in front at the 1:27 mark of the fourth, but again, two free throws by the Indians made it a 52-52 score.
This time for the Lions, it was Friend driving to the hoop for two points, lifting the Lions into the lead at 54-52 with 35 seconds left in regulation.
Fouch pushed FHS ahead by three points with two clutch free-throw conversions, leaving 4.8 on the fourth-quarter clock, as that stayed the score with the Indians missing a final shot at the conclusion of the game.
Western was led by Haggy with 19 points.
Next for the undefeated Lions is a district final game Thursday, March 2 against Green at the Ohio University Convocation Center at 6:15 p.m. Green defeated Paint Valley, 52-40 Monday.
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The win by the Lions improves them to 24-0 overall as they continue their historic season.
Leading the Lions in the win was Trey House with 15 points, followed by TJ Mootz with 14 points and Wyatt Collins with 11 points. Also for the Lions, final scoring included Larkin Friend with nine points, Gabe Fouch with five points and Gunner Bennington with two points.
As for the opening frame, Fairfield trailed at the end of the first quarter by a 13-11 score, as the Indians had a quick start, leading FHS by an 8-1 score.
In the second quarter, the Lions and Indians battled to where the Indians were in front with an 18-16 lead, but the Lions tied the score at 18 around the 5:00 mark with a basket by Friend.
As the quarter continued, House stole the ball and took it to the basket for a 20-18 advantage, and eventually FHS led 21-18 with a made free throw from Mootz with 3:34 left in the second frame.
Fairfield extended their lead to five points with a 23-18 score following two made free throws by House. The Indians answered with 1:30 left in the quarter with a three-point play from the Indians’ Drew Haggy for a 23-21 lead by Fairfield.
House answered with a 3-pointer for the Lions with 1:00 left in the frame.
The Lions regained possession of the ball and it was Collins who knocked down a 3-pointer, then a few seconds later he stole the ball and went the length of the court for a two-point basket at the buzzer, moving the Lions ahead by 10 points at halftime, 31-21.
Fairfield concluded the second quarter on an 8-0 run to gain their 10-point halftime lead.
The Lions opened the third quarter with a turnover, but they overcame the miscue with Mootz scoring two points in the paint.
Western sank a free throw, but that was answered with a free throw by Friend for a 34-22 Lions advantage.
The Indians hit a 3-pointer to cut the Lions’ lead to nine points, but FHS had none of that as they scored two points with a basket by Collins, with the assist from House, making the score 36-25 with just under 6:00 left in the third frame.
Following a timeout, Chase Carter of the Indians knocked down a 3-pointer, moving their deficit to eight points with 5:33 left in the third frame.
The Lions added to their lead with a bucket, putting their advantage back to 10 points with around 5:00 left in the third frame.
The lead was cut to eight points again as the Indians scored two points on a steal and fast break with 4:00 left in the quarter.
Western cut the Lions’ lead to six points with a jumper at the 3:15 mark, but Friend had a jumper of his own for the Lions, increasing their lead back to eight points. Mootz made the score 42-32 with 2:17 left in the third.
The final 2:00 of the quarter saw Western outscore the Lions, 7-4, making the Fairfield lead seven points after three frames by a 46-39 score.
Both teams had a great effort in the fourth frame, starting with the Indians scoring the first seven points of the quarter, tying the score at 46 with 5:41 left in regulation.
The Lions broke the streak with two points by Mootz, only to see the Indians score two points in the paint, tying the score this time at 48 with 5:10 on the fourth-quarter clock.
Collins sank a jumper with 4:39 left in the game, putting the Lions in front by a 50-48 score.
Western stole the ball and scored two points on a fast break with 2:18 left in the game, tying the score at 50.
Mootz pushed the Lions back in front at the 1:27 mark of the fourth, but again, two free throws by the Indians made it a 52-52 score.
This time for the Lions, it was Friend driving to the hoop for two points, lifting the Lions into the lead at 54-52 with 35 seconds left in regulation.
Fouch pushed FHS ahead by three points with two clutch free-throw conversions, leaving 4.8 on the fourth-quarter clock, as that stayed the score with the Indians missing a final shot at the conclusion of the game.
Western was led by Haggy with 19 points.
Next for the undefeated Lions is a district final game Thursday, March 2 against Green at the Ohio University Convocation Center at 6:15 p.m. Green defeated Paint Valley, 52-40 Monday.
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