Whiteoak falls to Piketon; earns win over Felicity-Franklin

The past two games for the Whiteoak Wildcats have seen them win on senior night against the Felicity-Franklin Cardinals on Tuesday, and seen them fall in a close battle on Wednesday versus the Piketon Redstreaks, as both games were played at Whiteoak High School. 

In Tuesday’s game for the Wildcats on their senior night, they opened with a 16-9 first quarter, which eventually led to a 64-60 win over the visitors. 

The 16-point first frame included a seven-point frame from Brady Brandenburg, as he ended the game with 18 points off seven two-point baskets, one 3-pointer, and he was 1-of-4 from the free-throw line. 

Whiteoak’s first quarter also included three points from Sawyer Blair, who made a 3-pointer in the frame. Blair ended the game with a team-high 23 points off four two-point baskets, three 3-pointers, and he was 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. 

Scoring two points each in the first quarter for Whiteoak were Jason Gaskins, Christopher Wessner and Carson Hart. 

Felicity-Franklin (8-13) won the second frame by a point at 13-12, but the Wildcats led 28-22 at halftime. 

Whiteoak’s second frame included four points from Blair, four points by Brandenburg and two points apiece by Gaskins and Evan Richmond. Gaskins ended the game with 11 points from four two-pointers, and he was 3-of-4 from the free-throw line. 

In the third quarter, Felicity-Franklin outscored WHS, 22-16 as the Wildcats had eight of those points scored by Blair off two 3-pointers and a two-point basket. Gaskins and Brandenburg each made two baskets in the quarter for four points each in the third. 

WHS won the fourth frame at 20-16. Whiteoak’s fourth-quarter scoring consisted of eight points by Blair, three points from Gaskins, two points by Wessner, three points by Brandenburg and four points from Hart off two baskets. 

Other final scoring totals for Whiteoak included Wessner (4), Richmond (2) and Hart (6).

Team totals for Whiteoak were 20 two-point baskets, four 3-pointers (Blair 3, Brandenburg 1), and they were 8-of-12 from the free-throw line. 

Felicity was led by Hayden Broadwell with 22 points, Logan Cole with 17 points and Garet Hall with 11 points. Other final scoring totals were Elijah Simpson (2), Trenton Taulbee (3) and Lane McElfresh (5). 

Felicity-Franklin’s totals were 12 two-point baskets, seven 3-pointers (Cole 3, McElfresh 1, Broadwell 2, Hall 1), and they were 15-of-21 from the free-throw line. 

The following evening, the Whiteoak Wildcats fell to the visiting Piketon Redstreaks, 59-51 at WHS. 

Whiteoak opened the game with a 19-point first quarter and led 19-15 at the conclusion of the quarter as the Wildcats opened the game with six consecutive points off a free throw by Brady Brandenburg, a layup from Carson Hart, then came a 3-pointer off a shot by Sawyer Blair with 6:36 left in the frame. 

Blair finished the game with 16 points as collected three two-point baskets, three 3-pointers, and he was 1-of-5 from the free-throw line. 

Piketon’s Bo Henry scored Piketon’s first points with a basket at the 6:21 mark with points in the paint. Henry led Piketon with 22 points, finishing the game with nine two-point baskets, and he was 4-of-5 from the free-throw line. Henry finished the first quarter scoring 11 points. 

Whiteoak led by as many as seven points in the third following a 3-pointer by Lucas Pollard with 3:59 on the clock, and WHS also had points in the first from Christopher Wessner and Evan Richmond. WHS ended the first with four consecutive points scored by Wessner with two free throws, and a put-back basket at the buzzer by Richmond for the four-point lead at 19-15. 

WHS won the second frame at 17-9 for a halftime lead of 12 points at 36-24. 

Piketon’s Noah Ross opened the second quarter scoring with two free throws, but a three-point play by Hart pushed the Wildcats’ lead to 22-17. 

The quarter continued with WHS having their 12-point lead by ending the scoring in the frame with a 3-pointer by Pollard and a layup from Gaskins. Gaskins finished the game with 11 points as he had three two-point baskets, one 3-pointer, and he was 2-of-2 from the free-throw line. 

Whiteoak’s second half wasn’t what they wanted it to be as shots struggled to fall for WHS, and Piketon outscored WHS, 35-15 in the final two quarters combined. 

WHS was outscored by 18-3 in the third with Whiteoak’s three points in the third coming from a free throw made by Blair at the 2:13 mark, and a layup by Blair as well with 6.0 left in the quarter. 

The third frame saw Piketon tie the score at 36-36 with 4:26 on the clock as those points were off a 14-0 run to start the frame.

Piketon won the fourth frame at 17-12 with Whiteoak’s fourth-quarter scoring consisting of five points by Blair and seven points by Gaskins. Each of those two players made a 3-pointer in the final quarter. 

For the game, other final scoring totals for Whiteoak were: Pollard (6), Wessner (6), Brandenburg (3), Richmond (2) and Hart (7). Whiteoak had final team totals of 11 two-point baskets, six 3-pointers and they were 8-of-16 in their free-throw attempts. 

Piketon also had other final scoring totals from Luke Gullion (11), Jayce Johnson (1), Treven Shanks (11), Jose Ritchie (10) and Ross (4). 

Piketon’s final team totals were 17 two-point baskets, four 3-pointers, and they were 13-of-17 from the free-throw line. 

Whiteoak is now 8-13 overall. 

Next for Whiteoak, the Wildcats are scheduled to play the Manchester Greyhounds at WHS on Friday, Feb. 20 against the Manchester Greyhounds at WHS.