By: Joe Shouse, Sports Writer
BOWLING GREEN – Wayne Trace and Canton Central Catholic battled in the opening game of the district regional and when the final buzzer sounded the Raiders escaped with a low-scoring win over the Crusaders 34-29. With the win the the Raiders will advance to the championship contest where their opponent will be a very dangerous Ottawa-Glandorf squad.
With the contest being a low scoring affair every possession became more and more important down the stretch. In the closing seconds it wasn’t a shot or made basket that became a huge play but a tip following a missed free throw. Unfortunately the Raiders missed the front end of a one-and-one but senior Tyler Davis made the most of the situation. Following the missed free throw Davis crashed the boards and managed to tip the ball out to the Raiders who kept control of the ball as the seconds ticked away.
Following a tussle under the Raiders basket the ball sailed out of bounds with the Crusaders touching it last and giving Wayne Trace another opportunity to widen their 32-29 advantage. Under their own basket with seven seconds remaining Kyle Stoller managed to slip a pass to a cutting Brooks Laukhuf who connected on a lay-up to give the Raiders their biggest lead of five points — and the win.
The game was tight throughout with neiter team securing a lead of more than four points until the fourth stanza. The Raiders were on top after the first quarter 8-7 but the Crusaders won the second period 9-7 to take a slim 16-15 lead to the locker room. In the third period the Raiders clamped down defensively holding Canton CC to just four points while putting up nine. Wayne Trace entered the final eight minutes of play leading 24-20.
With the win the Raiders improve their record to 21-6 while the Crusaders exit the tournament with a 16-10 record.
The Raiders, like many of their previous games leaned on Laukhuf and Stoller for their scoring. Kyle finished with 18 and Laukhuf added 13 with younger brother Tanner chipping in three for all the scoring.
For the Crusaders Finley Stewart, who averages one-point a game, led his team with 11 followed by Damonte DeGraffenried with seven, Dylan Rouse adding four, Luke Vlacovsky with three and Gavin Layman and Jack Talkington with two points each.
