By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
GENOA (December 3, 2024) – Genoa scored the first nine points of the game and enjoyed a 31-4 advantage at the foul line to race past Evergreen 76-55 in the season opener for both teams.
Sophomore Myles Mollenhauer knocked down a triple then scored twice off Viking turnovers in the first minute to boost the Comets out to a fast 7-0 lead.
Ty Asman added another bucket before Alex Fritsch got the Vikings on the board in transition over three minutes into the game.
Quinn Eisel’s two baskets inside were countered by 6’8” junior Walker Plantz who scored twice on lobs to stake the Comets to a 19-8 advantage after a quarter.
Troy Manz got the Vikings back within single digits with the first bucket of the second, but Genoa used three more baskets from Plantz to take a 33-21 halftime lead.
Genoa went 16/37 in the first half compared to the Vikings 10/35, as Evergreen missed their first 13 three-point tries.
Chris Shrader’s bucket off a Manz steal with just under four minutes left in the third kept Evergreen in contact at 44-33 but Genoa scored the next eight, four of those coming from Ryan Routson to take a commanding 56-36 lead into the fourth.
Plantz with 22, Mollenhauer with 20 and Routson adding 18 led the Comets offensively. Eisel paced the Vikings, scoring 11.
Evergreen had less turnovers, 13 compared to the Comets 14, but shot just 22/68 from the field and 6/27 from outside the arc.
Genoa hit 52 percent in the second half, going 15/28 in those 16 minutes. The Vikings host Swanton Friday in their home opener.
EVERGREEN 8 13 15 19 – 55
GENOA 19 14 23 20 – 76
Junior Varsity: Evergreen, 45-38
Freshman: Genoa, 51-17