(January 23rd, 2015) – FAYETTE: Even with five seniors on the team, it was the junior class that stood out for the Eagles against Buckeye Border Conference visitor Edon.
The Bomber defense, at times, was able to frustrate the most experience laden players for Fayette. In particular, Edon’s Logan Bloir absolutely refused to allow Skylar Lantz to score off of the dribble drive, recording multiple blocks against the senior speedster from Fayette throughout the game. Still, the hometown Eagles simply had too many weapons for the Bomber boys to contain.
This time, it was a set of juniors who got the job down for Coach Mitchell’s Fayette squad. The grouping of Joel Smith, Jared Seiler, and Tristen Bates combined for 42 points as the Eagles claimed a 56-25 victory over the Edon boys.
Seiler went to work right away for for Fayette, scoring 6 points, all from close range field goals, in the first quarter. Smith also knocked down 1 of his 5 threes in the opening period as well. Together, the pair contributed the bulk of their team’s 14 points in the beginning stanza.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the floor, Bloir challenged the interior of the Eagle defense, helmed by the 6’7” Yates, displaying no fear of the daunting junior in the least. That approach had mixed results however, as the Edon junior put up all 3 of the Bombers’ first quarter points.
The second period saw a more balanced scoring approach from both units. Eagle senior Koby Biddix and junior Grant Scaffner each connected on a shot from beyond the arc, while Smith added another 5 points to his total with both three and two-point field goals, with the three coming in the closing seconds of the quarter. Bates got in on the scoring as well, making the first of his 5 close range field goals. Overall, Fayette earned 16 more points before heading into the locker room.
Sophomore Brayden Bauercame earned 5 points for the Bombers in the second quarter. Bloir made another shot from inside the paint, and senior Alex Kirkingburg registered a basket as well. This was all part of a 10 point second period for the Edon travelers.
At the half, Edon trailed the Eagles in their nest 30-13.
Bauer tacked on another 2 points for the Bomber squadron in the third quarter. That amounted to half of Edon’s scoring in the first stanza of the second half.
For Fayette, Seiler again led an Eagle scoring frenzy, making another 6 points to open the second half. Continuing his shooting hot streak, Smith put another three-point attempt through the bottom of the net, doing so in each of the first three quarters. Lantz, who had a though evening scoring the ball, got on the board with a two-point field goal, while Bates scored again also. This put the Eagle boys at 13 points for the quarter.
Another Edon boy put points on the board in the game’s final quarter, as Jim Peckham nailed a three-point shot on the Bombers behalf. Kirkingburg contributed 2 more points as well, helping Edon to an 8 point final period total.
Smith turned in another pair of triples for Fayette, completing a four quarter streak of hitting at least one three-point shot. Bates also put up 6 points in the contest’s closing period, but doing so the old fashioned way with 3 two-point field goals. The Eagles closed the quarter with 13 more points added to their collective score.
When the final buzzer sounded, it was Smith who led all scorers with 17 points, due in large part to his spectacular shooting from behind the three-point line. Fellow junior Seiler had a strong day on the inside with 13 points overall, while a surge in the fourth quarter ballooned Bates’ point total to 12. Yet another junior, Alec Bost, produced another 5 points in the victory as well.
Bloir gave a strong effort for the Bombers, earning most of his 10 points from the free throw line. With 8 points, Bauer was the next highest Edon points producer. Kirkingburg had 4 points in the game, while Peckham’s successful three-point attempt brought about his only points of the contest.