Raiders Win Annual Rivalry Matchup
The annual Paulding County rivalry between Wayne Trace and Paulding was renewed Friday night in the ‘Jungle’ with the visiting Raiders posting a 66-53 win over the Panthers in Green Meadows Conference boys basketball play.
Wayne Trace jumped out quick and was never threatened the rest of the way, opening a 15-0 advantage before settling on a 16-8 lead at the end of one quarter.
Paulding got as close as 28-23 in the second stanza but would never get any closer as the Raiders expanded the margin back to 36-26 entering the intermission.
In the third quarter, the lead stayed around the ten-point difference for most of the quarter as the red, white and blue took a 51-41 advantage into the final period.
Caden Sinn topped Wayne Trace with 17 points on the night while Tanner Laukhuf and Carter Clemens both recorded a dozen markers.
Brady Miller chipped in eight points for the Raiders, who improved to 6-3 overall on the season and 1-0 in the conference.
Zach Stoller also recorded seven points for Wayne Trace with Lance Maenle adding six and Tyson Gerber picked up four markers.
Paulding was led by Blake Rhonehouse with 23 points on the night and Brandon Schroeder finished with a dozen points.
Jalen Manz and Gannon Parrett both had six points to aid the maroon and white cause while Grady Barton totaled four points. Xander Kuckuck also had two points to aid the cause for Paulding, which falls to 3-8 in all games and 0-1 in the conference.
Warriors Triumph Over Blackhawk Christian in Intense Clash
The Woodlan Warriors secured a commanding 73-49 victory over the Blackhawk Christian Lady Braves in a thrilling girls’ basketball matchup on Tuesday night. The game, held at Woodlan High School, showcased the athleticism and determination of both teams as they battled through four quarters.
From the tip-off, the Warriors demonstrated their offensive prowess, led by senior standout Reagan Widenhoefer. Her sharp shooting and leadership set the tone for Woodlan, as they capitalized on fast breaks and precision passing. Makenna Smith, another senior, was instrumental in controlling the pace and contributed crucial three-pointers that kept the momentum in Woodlan’s favor.
Blackhawk Christian’s Lady Braves, under the guidance of Head Coach Stephanie Gongaware, refused to back down. Senior Malea Steele and sophomore Avery Wampole provided a relentless defensive effort and key buckets, keeping the Lady Braves competitive, especially in the first half.
Woodlan surged ahead in the third quarter, fueled by a dominating performance from junior Layla Hodson. Her ability to penetrate the defense and convert at the rim proved decisive. The Warriors’ defensive discipline also played a pivotal role, as they limited Blackhawk Christian’s scoring opportunities in the final minutes.
The Lady Braves fought valiantly but couldn’t overcome Woodlan’s balanced attack and tenacious defense, resulting in the 73-49 final score.
Moore leads Warriors over Fremont
Mason Moore scored 14 points and the Woodlan Warriors picked up a 50-39 non-league boys basketball victory over visiting Fremont last week outside of Woodburn.
Drew Fleek added 11 markers for the Warriors, who also got double digit efforts from Trey Yoder and Oliver Adams as each bucketed ten points.
Keaton Delagrange and Cooper Smith picked up two markers apiece and Jordan Halsey hit a free throw as well for Woodlan, which improved to 4-6 overall on the season.
The visiting Eagles took a 10-8 lead at the end of one quarter and Fremont expanded the margin to 24-16 as the two teams took the halftime break.
However, Woodlan dominated the third quarter with a 17-point effort while limiting the Eagles to five points in giving the Warriors a 33-29 advantage entering the final period.
The fourth quarter was much of the same with Woodlan picking up another 17-point stanza while Fremont scored ten to set the final margin of 50-39.
Colten Guthrie paced the Eagles with 15 points on the night and Cayden Hufnagle chipped in eleven markers.
Ethan Grimm posted nine points for Fremont with Brant Bressler scoring the final four Eagle markers.
Fremont falls to 2-7 on the season with the loss.
Stryker Panthers Cruise Past Hicksville Aces with Balanced Attack
The Stryker Panthers powered their way to a commanding 48-21 victory over the Hicksville Aces in boys’ basketball action on Tuesday night. Stryker showcased their offensive depth and defensive tenacity, improving their season standing while leaving Hicksville searching for answers.
The Panthers set the tone early, outscoring the Aces 12-4 in the first quarter. They built on that momentum with a 15-point second quarter, heading into halftime with a decisive 27-8 lead. Hicksville struggled to find rhythm offensively, with only two players scoring in the opening half.
Stryker’s offense was led by senior guard Myers, who lit up the scoreboard with 15 points, including five three-pointers. Rupp matched his teammate’s output with another 15 points, while Wickerham chipped in 9. Donovan added 7 points to round out a balanced scoring effort for the Panthers. Stryker’s ability to spread the ball and hit from beyond the arc (8-of-18) kept Hicksville’s defense on its heels.
For the Aces, junior Garrett Turnbull paced the team with 5 points, including one of their three three-pointers. Owen Stuckey and Phin Phillips each contributed 3 points, but Hicksville’s offense couldn’t gain traction against Stryker’s smothering defense.
Stryker controlled the glass, outrebounding Hicksville 28-20. Their rebounding dominance translated into second-chance opportunities, which the Panthers capitalized on to extend their lead throughout the game.
Both teams kept turnovers relatively low, with Stryker committing 9 compared to Hicksville’s 10. However, the Panthers’ aggressive defense limited Hicksville’s shooting opportunities, holding them to just 9-of-39 from the field.
Hicksville found a bit of offensive rhythm in the fourth quarter, scoring 8 points, but it was too little, too late. Stryker continued their methodical play on both ends of the court to secure the win.
