NWOAL SHOWDOWN … Archbold’s Chase Miller gets open inside for a layup during third quarter action. (PHOTO BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER)
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
ARCHBOLD (February 16, 2024) – “When you’re hot, you’re hot” and that was the case with the Archbold Bluestreaks on Friday night at The Thunderdome.
Archbold blistered the nets with 65% shooting including 14/20 (70%) from downtown led by seven treys from Cade Brenner, who poured in 32 points as Archbold jumped into a tie for first place in the league after a 65-48 win.
With one game remaining on the league schedule, Archbold, Liberty Center, and Wauseon now all stand at 5-1 in the NWOAL.
Brenner would start the scoring by providing a preview of the type of shooting night that was in store for the Streaks by burying a triple from the deep right wing and Jayden Seiler drilled one from the left wing mixed with a Micah Nofziger score inside, to make it 8-0 just two minutes in.
Nicholas Stinner scored inside after a Wauseon timeout to get the Indians on the board before Sonny Phillips hit a trifecta to increase the lead to 11-2.
Archbold connected on three more triples in the first quarter giving them six in the opening frame as they led 20-10.
The Indians went to a zone defense in the second quarter which slowed the pace as Wauseon climbed back in the game.
Wauseon’s Tyson Rodriguez tested his range with a three ball from the volleyball line to start a 7-0 run with Stinner scoring down low again and Rodriguez adding a bucket on a drive to cut the Archbold lead to 20-17.
Archbold answered with a quick five points before Wauseon closed the half on a 7-2 spurt with Braden Vajen draining a three and field goals from Stinner and Rodriguez to make it 27-24 Archbold at the break.
The second half started the same as the first with a Brenner trey but Wauseon responded with two free throws by Stinner and a runner in the lane by Rodriguez to trim the Bluestreak advantage to 30-28.
Archbold would then put together a 7-2 surge ending with Brenner connecting from the right corner to increase the lead to 37-30.
Wauseon’s Trey Parsons matched the corner triple by Brenner with one of his own, Rodriguez would get a conventional three-point play and a Parsons layup would give Wauseon their one and only lead of the night at 38-37 with 2:45 left in the third quarter.
Archbold quickly snatched away any momentum Wauseon had with a 13-2 run to end the quarter thanks to a pair of triples off the bench by Madden Valentine, a four-point play by Brenner, and Brenner again getting the hoop and the foul with 15.7 left to make the score 50-40.
Connor Keefer’s triple from the left corner kept Wauseon within striking distance to start the final fame before Archbold stepped on the gas.
Brenner ripped off seven straight points thanks to a lay in, a jumper from the top of the key, and then his seventh and finally long ball of the night to stake Archbold to a 57-43 lead.
A Rodriguez trey and a bucket by Parsons would cut the lead to 57-48, but Archbold (19-2, 5-1 NWOAL)scored the last eight points.
After Wauseon’s brief lead in the third, it was a 28-10 run by the Streaks to close out the win. The Indians (12-8, NWOAL 5-1) put two in double digits with Rodriguez netting 15 and Parsons finished with 11.
WAUSEON (48) – Parsons 11; Rodriguez 15; Vajen 9; Keefer 5; Ni. Stinner 8; Gype 0; Patterson 0; Totals: 14-5-5 – 48
ARCHBOLD (65) – Rodriguez 0; Phillips 7; Brenner 32; Wendt 0; Bickel 0; Seiler 9; Valentine 6; Diller 0; Miller 5; Nofziger 6; Piercefield 0; Totals: 14-7-9 – 65
WAUSEON 10 14 16 8 – 48
ARCHBOLD 20 7 23 15 – 65
GAME STATISTICS
WAUSEON: FG – 19/40 (47%) FT – 5/5 (100%); Rebounds – 13 (3 offensive); Turnovers: 4; ARCHBOLD: FG – 21/32 (65%); FT – 9/10 (90%); Rebounds – 14 (1 offensive); Turnovers – 7
JUNIOR VARSITY: Archbold 29, Wauseon 20
