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March 12, 2015 • Sports
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Regional bound So. Ripley Raiders defeat Switzerland Co. Pacers 58-54 to claim IHSAA Class 2A Sectional 45 Championship Title
Gary Franklin
SPORTS EDITOR
Hoosier Hysteria at its finest could be found at the 2015 IHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Sectional 45 this past week at South Ripley High School. The teams battled it out in a near full house in the 2,400 plus capacity gym. Saturday’s championship battle between the visiting Switzerland County Pacers, led by Coach Adam Dennis and hosting Coach Travis Wrightsman’s South Ripley Raiders found the gym rocking with enthusiasm and excitement . Early in the championship contest, SR gained the upper hand, dimming hopes for Pacer faithful. That was until late in the fourth and final period when things got very tight for the Raiders, as the Pacers pulled to within two points before falling by four at the final horn’s sounding.
GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO
Pictured left, junior Brady Meyer (11) takes it in on the Pacers for a score and the FT addition.
The SRHS hosted IHSAA Sectional 45 Championship game action opened with the Raiders controlling the tip l but found Switzerland County putting the first points on the score book off a FG by sophomore Kollin Hayes (12) near the 5:30 mark. Raider junior Brady Meyer (11) wasted no time knotting the game with his first driving FG score off a steal and relay from sophomore teammate Cory Walker (5). Fouls assessed by Raiders Tucker and Walker led to a Meyer (11) short jumper for the 4-2 SR lead.
Another Meyer (11) FG connection led to Pacer senior Ben Curran’s (21) FG, 6-4. Meyer struck again for a FG, but teammate Ty Tucker picked up his second assessed foul. Raider sophomore Derek Turner scored one of two FT attempts off the assessed foul on the Pacers (12). Meyer whistled for a charge removed his FG score before the horn, ending the first period with South Ripley up 9-4.
QUARTER TWO
The Pacers opened second period action with the ball, but were assessed a foul on Hunter Hayes (45). Raider Meyer singed the net with another FG score. A charge called on Pacer (22) led to a reach in foul on teammate (21) Curran. Raider junior Kaleb Riley (15) connected on one of two FT offerings. Meyer added another FG. Raider Larry Pickett was whistled for a foul to which Pacer senior Riley Phagan (3) connected on one of his two shots taken from the charity stripe. Raider Meyer made a pair of FTs off the second called foul on Pacer (12). A Raider Roepke foul sent Pacer Green to the line where he added a point of two attempts. A foul by Raider Riley found Pacer (11) leaving the line empty. Raider Riley (15) responded with a FG drive, followed by teammate Walker’s (5) connection on one of two FTs off Pacer Curran’s second foul called. Raider Turner (10) connected on a pair of FTs off a foul by Pacer Stow (10). Pacer Phagan picked up a foul off an assessed charge call. Raider Walker picked up his second foul off a reach in, sending Pacer Stow (10) to the charity stripe where he connected on both awarded. An attempted FG put back by senior Raider Chase Samples (33) on a last second shot resulted in a foul on Pacer Gree, allowing Samples to add two points from the charity strip. Samples scoring put SR out in front at the half, 23-9.
QUARTER THREE
The Raiders got the ball out quickly, which resulted in a Meyer (11) drive and FG score. Pacer Phagan drained a three-pointer. Raider Meyer added one of two FT connections followed by a steal and FG score to a 16 point advantage at 28-12 near the 7:00 mark. Pacer Furnish scored a FG. A third foul on Pacer Hayes (45) led to a Raider Tucker (30) FG and a Pacer Furnish three-pointer to which Raider Tucker (30) responded with another FG score. Just under six remaining in period three and SR enjoyed a 32-17 edge. As play continued, a third foul assessed Pacer Hayes (12) led to a teammate Phagan (3) FG score. A Raider time-out was followed by SR Roepke’s second assessed foul sending Pacer Furnish to the line where he made one of two. Raider Roepke (35) retaliated with a FG. A foul was assessed Raider Meyer and sent Pacer Green to the charity stripe where he connected on the pair awarded him. A Pacer Green assessed foul sent Raider Roepke (35) to the charity stripe where he made one of his two attempts taken. Teammate Meyer (11) added another FG to his game tally. A foul on Raider Turner sent Pacer Phagan (3) to the line where he made one of two but followed with a three-pointer to end third period scoring, SR leading by 14 at 39-25.
QUARTER FOUR
The Pacers opened with ball control leading to a Pacer FG score by Kollin Hayes. Seconds later, Pacer K. Hayes struck for another FG score, leading to an SC time-out. One could sense momentum changing, but SR had the 12 point, 41-29 advantage, with 6:30 remaining. Returning, a second Raider Roepke foul sent Pacer K. Hayes to the charity strip where he made the pair awarded him. A third foul was assessed Pacer Phagan. A third foul assessed Raider Roepke sent K. Hayes to the line where he added another two FT scores cutting the Pacer deficit to just eight at 33-41. A Raider time-out led to a Tucker (30) FG. Raider Roepke picked up a fourth foul on the FG score by Pacer Hunter Hayes with Hayes missing the FT awarded. A foul assessed Raider Samples sent Kollin Hayes to the charity stripe where he completed the old-fashioned, three-point FG / FT combo. The second foul on Pacer Stow led to Pacer Hunter Hayes adding another FG score for 40-43, just a three-point deficit at the 4:07.
Following the SR called time-out, Raider Riley (15) answered the call with a FG score. An SC time-out led to a three-pointer by Pacer Furnish and a mere two point deficit at 43-45. After a long dry spell, Raider Meyer responded positively adding a FG score, followed by a 3 pointer by teammate Riley (15) at 1:50 to go back up by seven at 50-43. Upon continuing, a second foul assessed Raider Riley led to Pacer K. Hayes scoring of two FTs. A fourth assessed foul on Pacer Phagan allowed Raider Tucker (30) to add one of two FT shots taken. A fourth foul on Pacer K. Hayes sent Raider Cory Walker to the charity stripe where he made one of two for a 52-45, seven point edge, with 1:04 remaining in regulation. Pacer Furnish unleashed a nothing but net 3 pointer. A third foul on Pacer Curran sent Raider Walker (5) to the charity stripe where he cashed in on the pair awarded, leading to a Raider time-out. A fourth foul called on Raider Meyer at the 35 second mark sent Pacer Phagan to the line where he connected on both shots awarded him. A fifth foul on Pacer K. Hayes sent Raider Meyer to the line where he made a pair. Pacer Hunter Hayes added a FG score, leading to a second foul assessed Pacer Furnish following which Raider sophomore Cory Walker cashed in on two more FT scores. In a final effort too little too late, Pacer Hunter Hayes added the final FG score of the game, closing it out with the South Ripley Raiders a four point, 58-54 victor and 2015 IHSAA Class 2A Sectional #45 Champions.
Gary Franklin
SPORTS EDITOR
Hoosier Hysteria at its finest could be found at the 2015 IHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball Sectional 45 this past week at South Ripley High School. The teams battled it out in a near full house in the 2,400 plus capacity gym. Saturday’s championship battle between the visiting Switzerland County Pacers, led by Coach Adam Dennis and hosting Coach Travis Wrightsman’s South Ripley Raiders found the gym rocking with enthusiasm and excitement . Early in the championship contest, SR gained the upper hand, dimming hopes for Pacer faithful. That was until late in the fourth and final period when things got very tight for the Raiders, as the Pacers pulled to within two points before falling by four at the final horn’s sounding.
GARY FRANKLIN PHOTO
Pictured left, junior Brady Meyer (11) takes it in on the Pacers for a score and the FT addition.
The SRHS hosted IHSAA Sectional 45 Championship game action opened with the Raiders controlling the tip l but found Switzerland County putting the first points on the score book off a FG by sophomore Kollin Hayes (12) near the 5:30 mark. Raider junior Brady Meyer (11) wasted no time knotting the game with his first driving FG score off a steal and relay from sophomore teammate Cory Walker (5). Fouls assessed by Raiders Tucker and Walker led to a Meyer (11) short jumper for the 4-2 SR lead.
Another Meyer (11) FG connection led to Pacer senior Ben Curran’s (21) FG, 6-4. Meyer struck again for a FG, but teammate Ty Tucker picked up his second assessed foul. Raider sophomore Derek Turner scored one of two FT attempts off the assessed foul on the Pacers (12). Meyer whistled for a charge removed his FG score before the horn, ending the first period with South Ripley up 9-4.
QUARTER TWO
The Pacers opened second period action with the ball, but were assessed a foul on Hunter Hayes (45). Raider Meyer singed the net with another FG score. A charge called on Pacer (22) led to a reach in foul on teammate (21) Curran. Raider junior Kaleb Riley (15) connected on one of two FT offerings. Meyer added another FG. Raider Larry Pickett was whistled for a foul to which Pacer senior Riley Phagan (3) connected on one of his two shots taken from the charity stripe. Raider Meyer made a pair of FTs off the second called foul on Pacer (12). A Raider Roepke foul sent Pacer Green to the line where he added a point of two attempts. A foul by Raider Riley found Pacer (11) leaving the line empty. Raider Riley (15) responded with a FG drive, followed by teammate Walker’s (5) connection on one of two FTs off Pacer Curran’s second foul called. Raider Turner (10) connected on a pair of FTs off a foul by Pacer Stow (10). Pacer Phagan picked up a foul off an assessed charge call. Raider Walker picked up his second foul off a reach in, sending Pacer Stow (10) to the charity stripe where he connected on both awarded. An attempted FG put back by senior Raider Chase Samples (33) on a last second shot resulted in a foul on Pacer Gree, allowing Samples to add two points from the charity strip. Samples scoring put SR out in front at the half, 23-9.
QUARTER THREE
The Raiders got the ball out quickly, which resulted in a Meyer (11) drive and FG score. Pacer Phagan drained a three-pointer. Raider Meyer added one of two FT connections followed by a steal and FG score to a 16 point advantage at 28-12 near the 7:00 mark. Pacer Furnish scored a FG. A third foul on Pacer Hayes (45) led to a Raider Tucker (30) FG and a Pacer Furnish three-pointer to which Raider Tucker (30) responded with another FG score. Just under six remaining in period three and SR enjoyed a 32-17 edge. As play continued, a third foul assessed Pacer Hayes (12) led to a teammate Phagan (3) FG score. A Raider time-out was followed by SR Roepke’s second assessed foul sending Pacer Furnish to the line where he made one of two. Raider Roepke (35) retaliated with a FG. A foul was assessed Raider Meyer and sent Pacer Green to the charity stripe where he connected on the pair awarded him. A Pacer Green assessed foul sent Raider Roepke (35) to the charity stripe where he made one of his two attempts taken. Teammate Meyer (11) added another FG to his game tally. A foul on Raider Turner sent Pacer Phagan (3) to the line where he made one of two but followed with a three-pointer to end third period scoring, SR leading by 14 at 39-25.
QUARTER FOUR
The Pacers opened with ball control leading to a Pacer FG score by Kollin Hayes. Seconds later, Pacer K. Hayes struck for another FG score, leading to an SC time-out. One could sense momentum changing, but SR had the 12 point, 41-29 advantage, with 6:30 remaining. Returning, a second Raider Roepke foul sent Pacer K. Hayes to the charity strip where he made the pair awarded him. A third foul was assessed Pacer Phagan. A third foul assessed Raider Roepke sent K. Hayes to the line where he added another two FT scores cutting the Pacer deficit to just eight at 33-41. A Raider time-out led to a Tucker (30) FG. Raider Roepke picked up a fourth foul on the FG score by Pacer Hunter Hayes with Hayes missing the FT awarded. A foul assessed Raider Samples sent Kollin Hayes to the charity stripe where he completed the old-fashioned, three-point FG / FT combo. The second foul on Pacer Stow led to Pacer Hunter Hayes adding another FG score for 40-43, just a three-point deficit at the 4:07.
Following the SR called time-out, Raider Riley (15) answered the call with a FG score. An SC time-out led to a three-pointer by Pacer Furnish and a mere two point deficit at 43-45. After a long dry spell, Raider Meyer responded positively adding a FG score, followed by a 3 pointer by teammate Riley (15) at 1:50 to go back up by seven at 50-43. Upon continuing, a second foul assessed Raider Riley led to Pacer K. Hayes scoring of two FTs. A fourth assessed foul on Pacer Phagan allowed Raider Tucker (30) to add one of two FT shots taken. A fourth foul on Pacer K. Hayes sent Raider Cory Walker to the charity stripe where he made one of two for a 52-45, seven point edge, with 1:04 remaining in regulation. Pacer Furnish unleashed a nothing but net 3 pointer. A third foul on Pacer Curran sent Raider Walker (5) to the charity stripe where he cashed in on the pair awarded, leading to a Raider time-out. A fourth foul called on Raider Meyer at the 35 second mark sent Pacer Phagan to the line where he connected on both shots awarded him. A fifth foul on Pacer K. Hayes sent Raider Meyer to the line where he made a pair. Pacer Hunter Hayes added a FG score, leading to a second foul assessed Pacer Furnish following which Raider sophomore Cory Walker cashed in on two more FT scores. In a final effort too little too late, Pacer Hunter Hayes added the final FG score of the game, closing it out with the South Ripley Raiders a four point, 58-54 victor and 2015 IHSAA Class 2A Sectional #45 Champions.
