Fairbanks stays unbeaten, rolls Mechanicsburg
Fairbanks controlled the game from start to finish. The Panthers knocked down six threes, pulling away early and cruising to a 47–27 victory over Mechanicsburg.
After a defensive opening quarter ended with Fairbanks up 8–4, Mechanicsburg was looking to continue their offensive rebounding prowess they showed early on. However, the Panthers exploded in the second period behind hot shooting and strong transition play.
Hudson Grudt sparked the run with a layup and a pair of three-pointers, while Nate Meihls and Evan Weidmann added baskets to push the lead to 27–10 by halftime. Fairbanks’ press and perimeter defense consistently disrupted the Indians’ offense and forced tough possessions.
The Panthers kept their foot on the gas in the third quarter as Grudt, Weidmann, and Luke Boehm continued to score inside and out, extending the lead to 39–17 heading into the fourth. Both teams went to their benches late, and Fairbanks closed out the win.
Head coach of the Panthers, Zach Brown, speaks on his team’s effort after the win.
Fairbanks got a massive performance from Grudt, who scored a team-high 17 points with three triples. He was followed by Weidmann and Ty Schroeder, each with nine points, each with one three-pointer.
For Mechanicsburg, Colton Salyers led the Indians with seven points, followed by Matthew Davis with five, and Connor Eyink and Connor Wilson each had four.
Benjamin Logan falls to North Union
The Raiders dropped their varsity matchup with North Union on Friday night, falling 65–44 after struggling out of the gate.
Maddox Vermillion led all Raiders with 21 points while also pulling down seven rebounds, dishing out three assists, and blocking two shots. Christian Rogan added 12 points and two assists. Roman Maxwell chipped in five points, five rebounds, and a block, while Peyton Vermillion finished with four points, four rebounds, and two blocks.
Junior Varsity
The Raiders’ junior varsity team came up short as well, losing to North Union 48–38. Owen Stratton paced the scoring with nine points, and Caiden Smitke added eight.
Junior Varsity B
The JVB Raiders were defeated 47–22. Micah Gregg led the way with seven points, while Carrick Spriggs and Nolan Helbig each scored six.
West Liberty-Salem Tops Northeastern
The West Liberty-Salem boys basketball program earned a clean sweep over Northeastern on Friday night, picking up wins at the varsity, JVA, and JVB levels.
Varsity
West Liberty-Salem improved to 2–1 overall and in OHC play with a 48–39 win over Northeastern. Brandel Sullivan led the Tigers with 21 points. Sutton Wilcoxon finished with six, while Beckett Sullivan and Sam Strapp each added five. Brevin Louden scored four points, Garrett Wallen had three, and Carson Poppe and Elijah Christison each chipped in two.
Junior Varsity A
The Tigers’ JVA squad moved to 2–1 on the season with a dominant 49–15 victory. Casey Boyer led all scorers with 15 points. Liam Barger and Asher Cole each scored eight, Tucker Searles added six, and Connor Leichty, Josiah Johnson, and Colton Neeld finished with four points apiece.
Junior Varsity B
West Liberty-Salem’s JVB team evened its record at 1–1 with a 36–26 win over Northeastern. Elijah Filio scored eight points to lead the Tigers, followed by Austin Markin with seven. Tyler Hershberger and Rylan Leichty each scored six, Eli Jones added five, and Reagan McCullough finished with four.
West Liberty-Salem will be back in action Saturday, December 13th, hosting Emmanuel Christian. Junior Varsity A tips off at 1:30 p.m., followed by the varsity game at 3:00 p.m.
