Indians Sweep Decatur Community
On Friday, February 8, the Indians played Decatur Community in a make-up games that were postponed earlier in the year due to weather. The games were played in Oberlin. The Indians won both contests played during the evening. The junior varsity escaped with a 26-25 victory, and the varsity Indians defeated Decatur Community (DC) 52-32.
The varsity game was very close throughout the first half, but the Indians took full control in the second half outscoring the Red Devils 32-15 to close the contest with a 20-point Indian victory. The game was cleanly played with St. Francis committing 14 turnovers and DC only 9 as both teams played deliberately against zone defenses.
Brady Dinkel opened the scoring with a left-wing trey in transition on the first Indian possession of the contest. Dinkel added another trey moments later. At 5:24, DC used their first time-out to prevent a turnover against the Indians' pressing defense. Soon, DC's James Garner (5' 11" Jr.) drained a top-of-the-key trey trimming the lead in half. Richard Johnson followed with a stick-back basket for the Indians making the score 8-3 at the first quarter break.
Hunter Garner (5' 10" Fr.) scored the opening basket of the second period going coast-to-coast against the Indians' press. After a free-throw by Colton Neitzel, Hunter May (5' 10" So.) drained a left-wing three-ball pulling the Red Devils within one (9-8). Brady Dinkel answered with a left-wing trey for the Indians. A jumper from the right elbow by Neitzel increased the Indians' lead to six. Hunter Garner followed with another coast-to-coast drive displaying his athletic skills. After a driving score by Neitzel, H. Garner made consecutive free-throws. James Garner's right elbow jumper moved the scoreboard to 16-14. Neitzel was being aggressive offensively, and soon added a right-wing basket and two free-throws giving him 9 points in the quarter. The final score of the first half was a right-wing trey by Gage Van Meter (6' 0" So.) for the Devils. The teams went to the locker room with the Indians in front 20-17.
The Indians played very well in the second half working for good shots with well executed passes and cuts through the lane. K.C. Krien scored the first Indian basket of the second half after an nice assist by Jesse Baxter. Brady Dinkel then added a driving basket (plus one). DC called time-out at 5:41 trailing 25-17. Colton Neitzel's offensive rebound score soon placed the Indians at a 10-point advantage (27-17). DC earned their first score of the half on a jumper in the lane by Hunter Garner. James Garner sandwiched in a baseline drive between an offensive rebound score by Jesse Baxter and basket on a cut through the lane by Dinkel (assist Neitzel). Dinkel then made an nice assist to Baxter on a strong cut to the goal. When Dinkel's deep three-ball found the net, the Indians lead 36-21. The Red Devils used their second time-out of the period at 2:14 reeling from a 16-4 Indian run. Though the Red Devils would score twice more in the quarter; Tod Mastin (5' 9" Fr. - right wing) and Hunter May (right corner trey), the damage had been done. Richard Johnson added a post score to the Indians side of the scoreboard between the two Red Devils baskets. St. Francis led 38-26 after three periods of play.
The Indians began the final period with a basket by Adam Krien in the lane and post-move bucket by Richard Johnson. After a baseline score by Mastin, Brady Dinkel recorded assists to Johnson and Connor Keller on cuts to the goal. The action increased the Indians lead to 46-28. An Indian turnover resulted in a coast-to-coast drive by Hunter Garner, but Dinkel answered with a left-wing trey and a second three-ball from the top-of-the-key. The lead was now 22 (52-30). DC's H. Garner made two free-throws to close out the scoring. St. Francis had controlled the action in the second half to earn a 52-32 win over a pesky Red Devil team.
Hunter Garner led Decatur Community in scoring with 12 points. James Garner added 7. The Red Devils made 4 of 6 from the line, committed 11 fouls, and had 9 turnovers.
Brady Dinkel led the Indians scoring with 23 points. Colton Neitzel added 11, and Richard Johnson 8. Others scoring for the Indians were Jesse Baxter 4, Conner Keller 2, K.C. Krien 2, and Adam Krien 2. The Indians only committed four fouls and 14 turnovers in the contest. St. Francis was 4 of 7 from the stripe.
The junior varsity game resulted in the second win of the season for the Indian JV team. Two minutes into the JV game, DC used a time-out for strategy. The Indians soon scored a press offense basket and free-throw (Brady Schoenrogge) and earned a steal-two by Josiah Sims to lead 5-0. With 2 minutes left in the first period, DC scored their first field goal; a driving score by Tod Mastin. No other points were scored in the period. The Indians led 5-2 after one quarter.
DC's Landen McFee (5' 11" Jr.) added a left-elbow jumper early in the second stanza. Bryce Raby followed with a lay-up for the Indians. After a driving score by Kelby Garrett (5' 9' So.), Dario Montrone added back-to-back free-throws for St. Francis. The addition of two free-throws by Garrett trimmed the margin to one (9-8) for the third time, but Raby scored on an assist from Sims. Sims next assist set up a basket by Raby on a cut in transition. St. Francis led 13-8 at halftime.
Mastin scored the first basket of the third period on a right wing jumper for DC. St. Francis owned the next 6 points; a free-throw by Josiah Sims, a transition jumper by Wyatt Hilt, an baseline score by Bryce Raby (assist Schoenrogge), and a free-throw by Raby. St. Francis now led 19-10. The next run belonged to the Red Devils. Two top-of-the-key treys by Ryan Ketterl (5' 7" Fr.) were followed by a steal-two by Kelby Garrett. The margin stood at one (19-18) at the third quarter horn. What appeared to be a comfortable led had quickly disappeared.
The DC run continued into the final period. Zander Kempt (5' 9" So.) began the final period with a driving score. Corbett soon added a drive of his own. The Indians had fallen behind 19-22. At 3:55, Dario Montrone drained a left-wing trey tying the game at 21-all. Bryce Raby's assist to Wyatt Hilt on a cut to the goal resulted in another Indian basket. At 2:18, Hilt added a stick-back basket giving the Indians a 26-22 advantage. The Indians would not score again.....but they would win. Kempt's top-of-the-key trey at 1:48 was the final score of the game. St. Francis defeated Decatur Community 26-25 in boys JV action.
DC was led in scoring by Ryan Ketterl with 8 and Zander Kempt with 7. The Red Devils had 18 turnovers and made 2 of 8 from the line.
St. Francis was led in scoring by Bryce Raby with 9 points. Wyatt Hilt added 6, and Dario Montrone 5. Josiah Sims and Brady Schoenrogge each chipped in 3 points. St. Francis committed 27 turnovers and made 5 of 10 from the stripe.
The Indians will play Cheylin on Tuesday, February 12, in McDonald.
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