Riders edge VW; Lancers, Knights lose

DAVE MOSIER/independent sports

The Van Wert Cougars didn’t get a lot of offensive output from their two highest scorers, but the St. Marys Roughriders did from their main guy, and that was difference in the game as the Roughriders edged Van Wert 50-49 to pull off a major upset in a Western Buckeye League game played at the new St. Marys Memorial High School.

Neither Corey Clifton nor Jacob Myers could get on track in the game, as the pair, who average approximately 35 points per game average, combined for just 14 points in Friday night’s game, while Austin Fleming stepped up to score 18 in the contest and Joe Moonshower added 8 points for the Cougars.

Derek Roop was St. Marys’ big gun, scoring 31 points – including 15 of 17 free throws. Garet Fledderjohann added 11 points for the Riders.

Free throws and three-pointers were big factors in the game. The Roughriders made 17-of-20 from the charity stripe, while Van Wert did well – 6 of 10 – but didn’t have enough opportunities to catch the Riders.

The Cougars made 20 of 36 from two-point range (55.6 percent), but were only 1 of 12 in three-point attempts (8.3 percent). St. Marys sank 12 of 24 two-point attempts (50 percent) and were 3 of 9 from three-point range (33.3 percent).

Van Wert had the rebounding edge, 18-16, and four fewer turnovers, 13-17.

With the loss, the Cougars are now 13-3 overall and 4-3 in league play, while St. Marys moves to 8-8 overall and s 2-5 in the WBL.

The Van Wert junior varsity team got a win, 47-27 over its Roughrider counterpart, with AJ Smith leading the way for the Cougar JVs with 17 points. Chad Phillips added 11 points for Van Wert. Micah Johns led St. Marys with 11 points. With the win, the Cougars are now 13-3 overall and 5-2 in the WBL.

Also Friday, Lincolnview started out good, but two bad quarters meant the difference between winning and Spencerville, which won the Northwest Conference contest 55-38 at Spencerville.

The Lancers led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter, but a 17-6 spurt by the Bearcats in the second period gave Spencerville a 28-19 lead at the half.

It was a 10-point lead, 39-29, with a quarter to play, while the Bearcats again outscored Lincolnview 16-9 to win going away.

With the loss, the Lancers are now 1-6 in the Northwest Conference and 4-12 overall, while Spencerville’s record is 3-4 in the league and 10-6 overall.

Crestview also lost to Columbus Grove, 49-25, on Friday. With the loss, the Knights are now 5-2 in the league and 12-4 overall.