(PHOTOS BY BREANA RELIFORD / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
COMEBACK WIN … Stryker senior Daniel Donovan makes a move down the lane in the first half of a 39-38 win over Archbold. VIEW 109 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
ARCHBOLD SENIOR … Point guard Sonny Phillips makes a pass during the Bluestreaks nonleague tilt at Stryker.
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
STRYKER (January 28, 2025) – Archbold appeared to be taking control of Tuesday’s nonleague tilt in Stryker after a 12-4 third quarter to take a 33-23 lead to the final stanza.
The Panthers had other plans though as they would miss just one shot in the quarter to storm back for a 39-38 win, just their second in the last 20 years of the rivalry.
The 153rd meeting between the schools started with Stryker jumping to a 4-0 lead before Archbold answered.
A 7-0 run by the Streaks ended with an Aranjer Krieger layup off a nice pass from Sonny Phillips for a 7-4 Archbold advantage.
Stryker though would get the last five points of the quarter with a Daniel Donovan bucket and Jacob Meyers drilled a triple from the right side to give Stryker the lead back at 9-7.
Archbold put together a 10-3 run to open the second quarter to take their largest lead of the game to that point.
Phillips started the run with a bucket and Micah Nofziger went 1/2 at the line to give Archbold a brief 10-9 lead before Owen Rupp drained a triple from the top of the key to put the Panthers back in front at 12-10.
Archbold’s Evan Wendt converted a conventional three-point play off an offensive rebound to give the Streaks the lead back followed by a Phillips score and Morgan Harris got an uncontested layup on a run out to make it 17-12 with 2:41 left in the half.
After a Stryker timeout, Daniel Donovan got a “hoop and some harm” off a high-low feed from Rupp for a three-point play to bring Stryker back to within two points.
Another free throw by Nofziger and a Wendt three-ball from the head of the key pushed the Archbold lead to 21-17, but Daniel Donovan scored on an offensive rebound at the horn to make the halftime score 21-19.
The Archbold lead grew to 31-19 to begin the third with a putback by Wendt and four straight buckets inside by Nofziger to cap off a 10-0 run.
Jacob Meyers stopped the bleeding with a triple from the left wing, but Nofziger scored on an offensive rebound to make 33-22.
Following Nofziger’s bucket, a technical foul was whistled on Nofziger and William Donovan went 1/2 at the stripe as the Archbold lead stood at ten points going to the fourth.
Stryker’s fourth quarter push opened with a triple by William Donovan, back-to-back scores from Rupp, and Daniel Donovan scored on a goal tending call against the Streaks to cut the lead to 33-32.
Stryker would take the lead at the 3:24 mark after Wiliam Donovan scored on a drive but an offensive rebound basket by Harris put Archbold back in the lead at 35-34.
The Panthers took the lead for good as Braylen Wickerham scored for the first time, a trey from the left wing, and Rupp went 1/2 at the stripe to extend the lead to 38-35 with 34.0 seconds remaining.
An empty offensive possession ensued for the Streaks as a Wendt three-pointer was off the mark and William Donovan was 1/2 at the line for a 39-35 lead.
A Phillips jumper drew iron on Archbold’s next trip down the floor, but Rupp would go 0/2 at the free throw line as the lead stayed at four.
On Archbold’s final possession in the closing seconds, Wendt knocked down a triple from the right wing at the buzzer for the final bucket of the night.
Stryker’s 6/7 shooting from the floor in the fourth helped overcome going just 2/7 at the line in the quarter as they finished 4/12 on the night.
Daniel Donovan finished with 11 for Stryker (8-9), nine in the first half, and Rupp added 10. Nofziger had a game-high 12 points for Archbold (9-6) and Wendt tallied 11.
ARCHBOLD (38) – Gracia 0; Phillips 4; Kriger 2; Wendt 11; Williams 0; Harris 9; Krueger 0; Piercefield 0; Valentine 0; Nofziger 12; Totals: 13-3-3 – 39
STRYKER (39) – W. Donovan 9; Meyers 6; Damms 0; Wickerham 3; D. Donovan 10; Rupp 10; Totals: 10-5-4 – 39
AHS 7 14 12 5 – 38
SHS 9 10 4 16 – 39
Junior Varsity: Archbold, 44-13
GAME STATISTICS
ARCHBOLD: FG – 16/40 (40%); FT – 3/5 (60%); Rebounds – 14 (7 offensive); Turnovers – 6; STRYKER: FG – 15/36 (42%); FT – 4/12 (33%); Rebounds – 23 (9 offensive); Turnovers – 8