JCHS answers Tigers' challenge

After five straight blowouts, the Patriots found themselves in a battle.
They trailed at halftime for just the third time this season. And they were being challenged for this first time since losing their senior point guard to an injury.
They answered the challenge.
Trey Teagle came up with a steal and lay-up in the closing seconds of the first half and Jay County carried that momentum into the second. It scored the first seven points of the third quarter and held an opponent to single-digit in the second half for the second consecutive night to pull away for a 50-34 victory over the visiting Yorktown Tigers.
“Much like last night, I didn’t think we were very crisp or sharp defensively (in the first half),” said JCHS coach Craig Teagle, whose team limited Eastbrook to six second-half points Friday after giving up 26 in the first. “In the second half we did a much better job playing Jay County defense, keeping the ball in front, having a hand on the ball, taking them out of what they’re trying to do. … It was a much better job focus-wise and intensity-wise.”
The Patriots (15-2) were stumbling in the second quarter, trailing by five as Yorktown (12-5) put together an 11-3 run. But they bounced back just before halftime.
McFarland scored in the lane off of an assist from Trey Teagle, and then Teagle came up with a teal and went the distance to pull Jay County to within 26-25 at halftime. The home team built off of that finish, with McFarland, Tyler Back and Scott Schwieterman combining for the first seven points of the second half.
The Patriots never trailed again, but were up by just four midway through the fourth quarter before scoring the game’s final 12 points to pull away.
“I just thought Jay County got a little better, and we got a little less efficient,” said Yorktown coach Greg Miller, whose team played without leading scoring Caleb Morey. “A couple of our offensive threats went away from us. When you’re down a shooter and a leading scorer, you can’t have your other offensive threats go away.”
The game ended a streak of five-straight 30-point victories for JCHS. It was the first time the Patriots had been challenged deep into the game since a 51-37 victory over Richmond on Jan. 5.
“They were really physical,” said Jay County senior Scott Schwieterman. “No other teams that we play are that physical. We had to adjust a little bit. It was just basically a dogfight.
“We needed to focus for all 32 minutes. We needed a game like that.”
McFarland highlighted the final four minutes when he came up with a steal and dunk with 2:03 remaining. He scored 18 points to lead the Patriots, leaving him 70 points away from breaking 1993 graduate Dan Ferrell’s career scoring record of 1,155 points.
“Those easy baskets are huge,” said Teagle of the transition hoops. “Brock got three of them in the second half. And those are huge plays, because every possession in a game like that is so critical. To get anything easy … is important.”
Schwieterman added 13 points, eight rebounds and a pair of blocks, and Trey Teagle dished out four assists.
It was Jay County’s fourth straight game without Kegan Comer, who broke a bone in his right wrist Jan. 18 against Winchester. He is scheduled to be re-evaluated today, but will likely miss Thursday’s game at Delta.
The Patriots led 9-2 early, but Yorktown hit back-to-back 3-pointers to close the gap and took the lead on an Edmond Davis drive midway through the second quarter. The Tigers pushed head by five points before JCHS recovered late in the first half and then dominated the second.
Riley Miller and Davis each scored 12 points for Yorktown, which won its first 10 games of the season, but has dropped five of its last seven. Davis added six rebounds and three assists, and Riley Neal also grabbed six boards.

Junior varsity
The Patriots shut out Yorktown in the first quarter as they picked up their 10th win, 39-21.
Jay County (10-5) was up 7-0 after the opening period and took a nine-point lead into halftime. It outscored the Tigers 13-4 in the third quarter.
Zach Fullenkamp and Nate Brackman each scored seven points for the Patriots. Justin Dirksen added six points.

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