REVERSE LAYUP … Chase Moats gets open inside for two points during Fayette’s big second quarter. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER, STAFF)
By: Nate Calvin
FAYETTE – Kaden Frenn had 21 points, including 11 in the second quarter, and the Eagles were 13/15 from the foul line in the final stanza to salt away a 50-39 win to start BBC play.
Driving layups from Demetrius Whiteside and Wyatt Mitchell and a triple by Xander Dunnett from the top of the circle, staked Fayette to a 7-2 lead out of the gate.
Montpelier responded with a 7-0 run as Grant Girrell scored inside and Garrett Walz hit a shot in the lane and then a corner three ball to give the Locos their first lead at 9-7.
Frenn’s big second quarter started with back-to-back buckets down low to push Fayette ahead 13-9.
After a Montpelier field goal, Frenn was 1/2 from the line before drilling a triple and Chase Moats would get a reverse layup as the lead ballooned to 19-11 forcing a Montpelier timeout at the 3:10 mark.
Frenn would end the half with another score down low and a 1/2 trip to the free throw line as the Eagles led 22-11 at halftime.
Montpelier opened the second half with a 6-1 spurt as Girrell scored twice in lane and Walz hit a turn around jumper to trim the Fayette lead to 23-17.
Fayette had the answer though with eight straight points starting with a Dunnett trey, a layup by Mitchell and a three-pointer from the left corner by Skylar Lester to give the Eagles their largest lead of the night at 31-17.
The Locos (1-4, 0-1 BBC) continued to battle as Walz hit from long range, Girrell scored on an offensive rebound and Chavez Martin hit a jumper to cut the Eagles lead to 33-24 after three frames.
Walz started one more run by Montpelier with his third tiple of the night followed by a Drake Sommer three-pointer of his own and then Walz converted a fastbreak layup to cut the deficit to just 37-32.
Frenn answered the bell one more time for the Eagles (3-3, 1-0 BBC) with an offensive rebound stick back with 3:24 left in the game to make it 39-32.
It was a parade to the free throw line down the stretch for the Eagles who were 11/13 at the charity stripe in the final 3:24 of the game to end up outscoring the Locos 20-5 at the foul line.
Walz finished with 20 points on the night to pace the Locos, 15 coming after halftime.
MONTPELIER (39) – Walz 20; Thorp 0; Sommer 7; Camper 2; Girrell 8; Martin 2; Totals: 11-4-5 – 39
FAYETTE (50) – Frenn 21; Leininger 0; Moats 2; Mitchell 7; Brehm 0; Lester 9; Whiteside 3; New 0; Goble 0; Dunnett 8; Figgins 0; Totals: 9-4-20 – 50
Montpelier 9 2 13 15 – 39
Fayette 9 13 11 17 – 50
GAME STATISTICS – Montpelier: FG – 15/34 (44%); FT – 5/12 (41%); Rebounds – 16 (4 offensive); Turnovers – 12; Fayette: FG – 13/32 (40%); FT – 20/25 (80%); Rebounds – 20 (5 offensive); Turnovers – 6
Junior Varsity: Fayette, 34-32 (OT)
Nate can be reached at sports@thevillagereporter.com