HOMECOMING NIGHT … Pettisville’s Jaret Beck drives to the hoop as Carter Michel of Ayersville challenges. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
PETTISVILLE – Ayersville junior Brady Clark scored 14 of his team-high 17 points in the first half and the Pilots turned away the Blackbirds late for a 49-40 win.
Ayersville scored the game’s first six points before Pettisville got on the board with buckets by Jaret Beck and Jack Leppelmeier to make it a 6-4 game.
It was another 6-0 run by the Pilots as Clark and Carter Michel had field goals and Ben Amoroso scored on an offensive rebound to extend the Ayersville lead to 12-4.
The Pilots carried a 12-7 lead to the second frame as Clark registered two inside baskets sandwiched around a Beck offensive rebound bucket for the Blackbirds to give Ayersville a 16-9 advantage.
Ayersville maintained a five to seven point lead the rest of the first half with Clark adding three more field goals and Weston McGuire scored on a put back just before the buzzer to give the Pilots a 26-17 lead at the break.
A low scoring third quarter began with Clark scoring along the baseline and Ayersville 6’6” senior Tyson Schlachter had a conventional three-point to extend the lead to 31-17.
Pettisville would score their first points of the quarter on a Beck jumper from the elbow at the 1:35 mark but the Pilots scored six of the final eight points in the third for a 36-21 lead.
The Blackbirds were just 2/12 (16%) from the floor in the quarter while Ayersville managed a 4/8 (50%) effort.
Pettisville (12-6) began trapping on defense to start the final quarter and after a Michel bucket for Ayersville it was a Beck field goal followed by a triple from Sean Adkins that made it 38-26.
After an Ayersville timeout, McGuire hit a shot in the lane before Michel scored on a rebound and then was 2/2 at the line to push the lead to 44-30.
Pettisville would make one more push by capitalizing on a 3/5 stretch at the charity stripe by the Pilots as Beck and Adkins drained triples to draw the Blackbirds to within 47-38.
Beck scored one more time after an offensive rebound to make it 47-40 but Schlachter was 2/2 at the line to close out the Pilot win.
The Blackbirds 19-point fourth quarter was led by Adkins who scored 12 of his 15 points and Beck with seven of his game-high 19.
McGuire finished with 11 for Ayersville (9-8) and Schlachter had nine to go along with his defensive effort that held Pettisville leading scorer Cayden Jacoby to only two points.
AYERSVILLE (49) – Clark 17; Wolfrum 0; Amoroso 4; Marvin 0; Schlachter 9; Fishpaw 0; McGuire 11; Flory 0; Hinkle 0; Michel 8; Totals: 20-0-9 – 49
PETTISVILLE (40) – Leppelmeier 2; Aeschliman 0; Adkins 15; K. Wyse 0; Beck 19; M. Wyse 0; Jacoby 2; Waidelich 0; Fenton 2; Totals: 14-3-3 – 40
GAME STATISTICS – AYERSVILLE: FG – 20/38 (52%); FT – 9/15 (60%); Rebounds – 26 (8 offensive); Turnovers – 10; PETTISVILLE: FG – 17/48 (35%); FT – 3/9 (33%); Rebounds – 18 (9 offensive); Turnovers – 7
AYERSVILLE 12 14 10 13 – 49
PETTISVILLE 7 10 4 19 – 40
JUNIOR VARSITY: Ayersville, 39-26
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com