Fairfield Lions advance to the Convo; win sectional championship over South Gallia
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Fairfield Lions traveled to play in their Division IV SE District Sectional Final on Tuesday night at Wellston High School, and they stamped their ticket to the district round and a trip to Athens and the Ohio University Convocation Center next week, defeating the South Gallia Rebels, 63-43.
The win puts the Lions in the district semifinals for the second straight year, moving their overall record to 14-9 on the season.
The first frame saw the Lions and Rebels go back and forth for the complete eight minutes of play, where the No. 7 seeded Lions led against the Rebels by a 15-13 score, as the score was tied twice in the first frame.
Bryson Simmons dominated the first quarter for the Fairfield Lions, as he made a 3-pointer, two two-point baskets and six free throws for 13 of Fairfield’s 15 points.
The rest of the FHS scoring in the first quarter came from a free throw each made by James Bentley and Wyatt Willey. Bentley finished the game with 13 points, and Willey totaled six points in the win.
The second frame didn’t start well for the Lions as they saw the Rebels go on a 9-0 run that began near the end of the first frame and went into the second, where South Gallia had a three-point play, a put-back and a layup off a Fairfield turnover, leading to a 20-15 deficit for the Lions.
The Lions came back with a three-point play by Tucker Watson and two points by Simmons for a 20-20 score in the second frame.
As for the entire second quarter, the score was tied twice, where the Lions led by a 30-29 score at halftime as the Lions scored 15 points in the frame and South Gallia added 16 points to their total.
The Lions ended the second frame with Simmons scoring eight points, Watson having three points and two points each by Bentley (a layup) and Willey (two free throws).
In the first half, Simmons scored 21 of the 30 Fairfield points. For the game, Simmons led the Lions with 31 points, making eight two-point baskets, two 3-pointers and nine free throws.
Fairfield opened the third frame strong with a steal and layup while being fouled, but after two points by South Gallia, the score stood at 33-31 in favor of the Lions.
Not only was the offense strong for the Lions in the third, but their defense was on point too, making things tough on the Rebels.
The Lions eventually had points from Simmons and Connor Priest, leading to a six-point lead at 37-31. That lead went to 11 points following a 3-pointer by Simmons and two points by Bentley for a 42-31 lead.
For the entire third frame, Simmons scored five points, while Willey had three points, Priest scored two points, Bentley added five points (including a 3-pointer at the buzzer) and Reese Teeters tacked on two points for Fairfield.
In the third frame overall, the Lions outscored the Rebels, 17-6, taking a 47-35 lead going into the fourth frame.
Fairfield once again controlled a quarter with the Lions outscoring the Rebels, 16-8 in the final quarter.
The Lions scored the first six points of the fourth with four points by Teeters. Simmons moved the Lions ahead by 20 points with a basket in the paint for a 57-37 lead.
As for the total scoring of the quarter for the Lions, Teeters scored six points, Simmons had five points and Bentley scored five points.
Other final scoring for the game for Fairfield included eight points by Teeters, three points for Watson and two points for Priest.
Next for the No. 7 seeded Lions is their district semifinal game on Tuesday, March 3 against No. 2 seeded New Boston at 6:15 p.m. at the Ohio University Convocation Center.
(Editor’s Note: Thank you to WVNU 97.5 FM for contributing to the article.)
The win puts the Lions in the district semifinals for the second straight year, moving their overall record to 14-9 on the season.
The first frame saw the Lions and Rebels go back and forth for the complete eight minutes of play, where the No. 7 seeded Lions led against the Rebels by a 15-13 score, as the score was tied twice in the first frame.
Bryson Simmons dominated the first quarter for the Fairfield Lions, as he made a 3-pointer, two two-point baskets and six free throws for 13 of Fairfield’s 15 points.
The rest of the FHS scoring in the first quarter came from a free throw each made by James Bentley and Wyatt Willey. Bentley finished the game with 13 points, and Willey totaled six points in the win.
The second frame didn’t start well for the Lions as they saw the Rebels go on a 9-0 run that began near the end of the first frame and went into the second, where South Gallia had a three-point play, a put-back and a layup off a Fairfield turnover, leading to a 20-15 deficit for the Lions.
The Lions came back with a three-point play by Tucker Watson and two points by Simmons for a 20-20 score in the second frame.
As for the entire second quarter, the score was tied twice, where the Lions led by a 30-29 score at halftime as the Lions scored 15 points in the frame and South Gallia added 16 points to their total.
The Lions ended the second frame with Simmons scoring eight points, Watson having three points and two points each by Bentley (a layup) and Willey (two free throws).
In the first half, Simmons scored 21 of the 30 Fairfield points. For the game, Simmons led the Lions with 31 points, making eight two-point baskets, two 3-pointers and nine free throws.
Fairfield opened the third frame strong with a steal and layup while being fouled, but after two points by South Gallia, the score stood at 33-31 in favor of the Lions.
Not only was the offense strong for the Lions in the third, but their defense was on point too, making things tough on the Rebels.
The Lions eventually had points from Simmons and Connor Priest, leading to a six-point lead at 37-31. That lead went to 11 points following a 3-pointer by Simmons and two points by Bentley for a 42-31 lead.
For the entire third frame, Simmons scored five points, while Willey had three points, Priest scored two points, Bentley added five points (including a 3-pointer at the buzzer) and Reese Teeters tacked on two points for Fairfield.
In the third frame overall, the Lions outscored the Rebels, 17-6, taking a 47-35 lead going into the fourth frame.
Fairfield once again controlled a quarter with the Lions outscoring the Rebels, 16-8 in the final quarter.
The Lions scored the first six points of the fourth with four points by Teeters. Simmons moved the Lions ahead by 20 points with a basket in the paint for a 57-37 lead.
As for the total scoring of the quarter for the Lions, Teeters scored six points, Simmons had five points and Bentley scored five points.
Other final scoring for the game for Fairfield included eight points by Teeters, three points for Watson and two points for Priest.
Next for the No. 7 seeded Lions is their district semifinal game on Tuesday, March 3 against No. 2 seeded New Boston at 6:15 p.m. at the Ohio University Convocation Center.
(Editor’s Note: Thank you to WVNU 97.5 FM for contributing to the article.)