GREENFIELD — Any coach will tell you that a win on the road is a great thing. A conference win on the road is an even better achievement. Any coach will also tell you that playing at historic McClain High School in Greenfield is never an easy task, no matter the sport or the season.

With those factors in mind, it was a very good Friday for the Miami Trace Panthers at McClain. Miami Trace won the freshman game, 51-12. Then the Panthers followed with a 46-22 victory over McClain in the junior-varsity game. In the varsity game, Miami Trace executed a strong second half (particularly the third quarter) to post a 66-44 victory.

It was the second conference road win in a row for the Panthers as they improved to 2-0 in the Frontier Athletic Conference. Miami Trace is now 2-2 overall.

McClain fell to 1-2 overall, 0-2 in the conference.

McClain connected on 14 of 46 field goals for 30 percent. Behind the arc, the Tigers made 3 of 18 for 17 percent and at the foul line, McClain was 13 of 22 for 54 percent.

Junior Mikah Parks led McClain with 12 points while senior Andrew Potts reached double figures with 11. Potts hit one three-point shot for the Tigers. Sophomore Jordan Bell hit two threes for McClain and finished with six points. Junior Owen Sykes also scored six for the Tigers.

Sophomore Adam Guthrie was the game’s leading scorer for Miami Trace with 20 points.

Miami Trace did not make a three-point shot on the night, going 0 of 7 from behind the line. In spite of that, the Panthers still shot the ball very well, making 24 of 45 shots from the field for 53 percent. Miami Trace was proficient at the free throw line, going 18 of 22 for 82 percent.

Offensively, it was a struggle for the Tigers.

McClain led by as many as four points twice in the first quarter. After eight minutes of play, the score was tied, 14-14.

McClain led the game for what proved to be the final time, 16-14, with six minutes to play in the second quarter. Miami Trace outscored McClain 14-7 in the second quarter to take a 28-21 halftime lead.

Guthrie, with six points in the first quarter, continued to be nearly unstoppable, scoring 10 more in the second quarter.

The Panthers had the kind of start to the second half that teams strive for, going on an 11-0 run to take a 39-21 lead. The third quarter was decisive in the outcome of the game as Miami Trace outscored McClain, 23-7.

The Panthers led by as many as 23 points in the third quarter and that was the margin heading into the final period, 51-28, in favor of the visitors.

Miami Trace led by as many as 29 points before getting several players some valuable playing time.

“They’re tough kids, they’re grinders, they have a great coach and they’re only going to continue to get better,” Miami Trace head coach Ben Ackley said of McClain. This is an extremely tough place in which to play. You always circle this game on your calendar because you know you’re going to have to bring it. Everywhere in our league when you go on the road you have to bring it, but this is an exceptionally hard place to play.

“I thought our kids did a good job of listening and buying in at halftime. We thought our big advantage was underneath. We wanted to go through Adam and I thought we did a very good job of that. I thought we executed on the first three possessions of the second half. Then all of a sudden the rim got really big. Then everyone was playing with confidence, the complete opposite of a week ago. We’re getting better.”

Miami Trace is back in action Tuesday for another FAC road game, this one at Hillsboro at 4:45 p.m.

The Panthers will play their first home game of the season Friday, Dec. 15 when they host Jackson.

McClain is at Chillicothe Tuesday and at Washington to take on the Blue Lions Friday.

In other FAC games Friday, the Washington won at Chillicothe, 59-36, and Hillsboro won at Jackson, 61-58.

Miami Trace is currently in first place in the FAC at 2-0, Washington and Hillsboro are both 1-0, Jackson is 1-1 and McClain and Chillicothe are both 0-2.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

MT 14 14 23 15 — 66

Mc 14 7 7 16 — 44

MIAMI TRACE — Ben Mathews 0-0-0; Trey Robinette 0-0-0; Grant Guess 3-5-11; Julian Baker 0-2-2; Conner Napier 1-2-4; Brady Armstrong 2-3-7; Cade Whitaker 1-0-2; Bryson Yeoman 0-0-0; Skye Salyers 1-1-3; Austin Boedeker 4-1-9; Adam Guthrie 10-0-20; Bryson Osborne 2-4-8. TOTALS — 24-18-66. Free throw shooting: 18 of 22 for 82 percent. Three-point field goals: none. Field goal shooting: 24 of 45 for 53 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 0 of 7. Rebounds: 27 (5 offensive). Turnovers: 13. Assists: 15. Steals: 4. Blocked shots: 3. Fouls: 24.

McCLAIN — Zane Adams 0-3-3; Michael Noszka Jr. 0-0-0; Jordan Bell 0 (2)-0-6; Seth Weller 1-0-2; Owen Sykes 3-0-6; Mikah Parks 3-6-12; Jayden Allison 1-2-4; Andrew Potts 3 (1)-2-11. TOTALS — 11 (3)-13-44. Free throw shooting: 13 of 22 for 54 percent. Three-point field goals: Bell, 2; Potts. Field goal shooting: 14 of 46 for 30 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 3 of 18 for 17 percent. Turnovers: 13. Offensive rebounds: 7.

Jayvee game

In the jayee game Friday, the Panthers rolled to a 46-22 victory over the Tigers.

Julian Baker was the game’s leading scorer for Miami Trace with 17 points.

Hayden Angel led McClain with 11 points. Julien Evans had six points, Alex Perie scored three and Brynnen Babbs had two. Angel had three three-point baskets, while Evans and Perie each hit one three.

Freshmen game

Miami Trace had three players reach double figures in a 51-12 freshman win over the Tigers.

Evan Parsley was the game’s leading scorer with 15 points.

Ethan Fryer led McClain with six points and a trio of Tigers — Charlie Gibson, Logan Knisley and Caden Goddard — each scored two points.

Chris Hoppes is the sports editor for the Record-Herald in Washington C.H.