DODSONVILLE — The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs put an end to their 14 game losing streak on Friday when they hosted the Whiteoak Wildcats in Southern Hills Athletic Conference play between the two cross county rivals and won by a final score of 53-48.
With time winding down on the clock and the game decided Whiteoak’s Nate Frazer checked into the game and recorded the final two points of the game with 6.3 seconds remaining.
“Five years from now, ten years from now nobody is going to remember this game but, they are going to remember Nate Frazier getting out there. That’s what high school sports is all about. Its not about winning, its not about losing, its about moments like that,” said Lynchburg-Clay Head Coach Matt Carson. “Credit coach Kibler, he is a class act. We talked about that before the game. He teaches over there in their special needs program and he does such a great job with those kids.”
Lynchburg-Clay was led in scoring by Ray Conner who finished with 21 points in the game. Senior Tyler Stevens had his best game of the season with 14 points including three triples and Noah Miller netted 13 to help the Mustangs to the win.
“Im happy for these kids,” said Carson. “These kids have just worked their tails off every day. I kept telling them, ‘we’re close, we’re close.’ They played to win tonight and that is a credit to their character. They come in and practice hard every day, they love each other, they care about each other. Its just such a great group of kids and i’m so proud for them, I love them so much.”
Whiteoak came out strong in the first quarter as Zach Rand started the game off with consecutive three pointers for the Wildcats and scored 10 of his team high 21 points in the first quarter as the Wildcats built a 15-9 lead prior to the start of the second quarter.
In the second quarter the Mustangs scored six straight points over the opening five minutes to tie the game at 15 with 3:08 to play. Lynchburg-Clay continued to play solid defnse as they limited to the Wildcats to six points in the second and took a brief 21-19 lead on a steal and fast break layup by Conner with 48 seconds to play in the first half.
But, Whiteoak refused to take a deficit into the locker room and Brayden Yeager hit a pull up jumper late in the quarter to tie it at 21 as the teams headed to halftime.
The Mustangs opened the third quarter with an eight to nothing run that put the momentum squarely its side. Miller led the way with eight of his five of his 13 points in the quarter and Conner chipped in four of his own to help LC establish a 10 point 38-28 lead after three quarters of play.
The Wildcats fought valiantly in the fourth quarter with Rand again leading the way with nine points in the frame but, Miller was able to convert three of four at the charity stripe late to secure the win for the Mustangs and set up Frazer’s only points of the game.
The Wildcats will be back in action on Saturday when they travel to Fayetteville to take on the Rockets in their final regular season game of the year.
The Mustangs will take the floor again on Tuesday, February 19, when they travel to Waverly to take on Piketon in the OHSAA boys D III Sectional tournament.
Score by quarters
LCHS 9-12-17-15
WHS 15-6-7-20
Lynchburg-Clay: A. Cumberland 1-1/2-3; Miller 3(1)-4/9-13; Marcelino 1-2; Stevens 1(3)-3/4-14; Conner 10-1/3-21
Totals: 16(4)-9/18-53
Whiteoak: Butler (1)-3; D. Cumberland 5-10; Frazer 1-2; Roberts 2-4; Ruckle 2-2/3-6; Rand 6(2)-3/7-21
Totals: 17(3)-5/10-48
Saturday Feb. 9 vs Blanchester
The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs hosted the Blanchester Wildcats of the Southern Buckeye Academic and Athletic Conference on Saturday, and fell by a score of 82-54. The first quarter saw the visitors take a 23-13 lead, and would eventually build that lead to 45 to 28 by halftime. A big third quarter propelled the Wildcats to a 65 to 38 lead, and the final on the evening was 82 to 54.
Raymond Conner led the Mustangs with 20 points, as he scored seven two point field goals, one three point field goal, and was three for seven from the charity stripe. Conner also grabbed eight rebounds. Tyler Stevens tallied 13 points, as he made three three point field goals and two two point field goals.
Patrick Brown, Zander Blankenship and David Giordano each tallied five points on the evening. Brown and Giordano hit one three point and one two point goal, while Blankenship scored two two point field goals and was one for one from the free-throw line.
Blake Marcelino had three points, making one two point field goal and going one for one from the free-throw line. Noah Miller rounded out the scoring with three points, making one three point field goal. Andrew Cumberland led the Mustangs with four assists on the evening.
Brayden Sipple led the Wildcats and all scorers with 27 points on the evening.
Tuesday Feb. 12 at Washington
The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs were outscored 18 to five in the opening period of their game Tuesday night, thanks in part to a stingy defense by the host Panthers.Turnovers plagued the Mustangs as they eventually cut into the lead, but saw themselves down by a margin of 28 to 20 at the half.
The third quarter proved to be pivotal as the Panthers held the Mustangs to four points, while scoring ten of their own for a 38 to 24 lead.
Most of the fourth quarter saw the Mustangs playing catch up, and in the end the Panthers made their free-throws and pulled away with a 55 to 39 victory.
“The slow start put us behind the eight ball early, but credit coach Pittser and his staff, they attacked early and got us down in a hole…our kids still battled like they always do, we just didn’t put ourselves in an advantageous spot all night,” said Mustangs Head Coach Matt Carson.
The Mustangs were led in scoring by Tyler Stevens with 14 points. Raymond Conner was next with 12 points, followed by Noah Miller with five. Brady Minton and Patrick Brown each scored three, while Andrew Cumberland rounded out the scoring with two.
For the Panthers, Trevor Barker led the way with 16 points. Dylan Bernard and Austin Brown each scored 10, while Logan Rodgers added eight. Austin Matthews scored five points, while Cody Brightman added four. Kyler Conn rounded out the scoring with two points.
Lynchburg-Clay Head Coach Matt Carson provided the last two game recaps in this article.
