By: Joe Shouse, Sportswriter
HAVILAND – Ayersville landed at the Palace last Friday evening and after a very competitive first half the Raiders turned it up a notch to soundly defeat the Pilots 53-37. With the 16 point win the Raiders sent the visitors home with their seventh consecutive loss and also keeping them winless in the Green Meadows Conference. After the contest the Raiders improve to 14-4 overall and 5-1 in the GMC. For the Plilots, they fall to 3-13 overall and 0-6 in league play.
The Raiders trailed after eight minutes of play 17-15 and was still on the short end of the score at intermission 28-27. The game took a quick turn-a-round after the break with the Raiders turning up the defensive pressure. After scoring 28 points in the first half, the Pilots were grounded in the second half with the Raiders holding them to just nine points. Trailing throughout the first half, the Raiders managed to edge past Ayersville in the early going of the third period and led 40-34 heading into the final frame. In the closing period Wayne Trace duplicated their third quarter output with 13 points while clamping down defensively and holding the Pilots to just three points.
Wayne Trace placed three players in double digits led by the play of Josiah Linder. The senior competed a double-double on the night with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Nate Gerber, a junior, totaled 12 points along with seven boards in the Raider win. Mox Price was solid in his play, finishing with 12 points, hitting all five of his two-point field goal attempts while adding six steals in a inspiring defensive show.
Also scoring for the league leading Raiders was Trae Sinn five, Reid Miller four, Alex Reinhart and Caleb Yenser each with two points to round out the scoring.
The Raiders shot the ball well from the two-point area, hitting 19-37 for 51 percent but from behind the arc the percentage fell to just 15 percent on 2-13. For Ayersville, the Pilots shot 14-40 from the floor for 35 percent. At the stripe Wayne Trace was 9-15 with their opponent going to the line just five times, hitting three.
Wayne Trace collected 31 rebounds with the Pilots close behind with 29 grabs. Defensively Wayne Trace was aggressive with 16 steals to just four for Ayersville.
In the Junior Varsity contest the Raiders continue their winning ways with a 42-30 win over the Pilots.
