July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
JC seizes The Castle (02/20/08)
JCHS boys basketball
JC seizes The Castle (02/20/08)
By By RAY COONEY-
OSSIAN - How long has it been since the Patriots won at The Castle? The last time it happened, some of the current players weren't even in elementary school.
Jay County High School's boys basketball ended a five-game, 12-year losing streak with a 54-50 victory, beating the host Norwell Knights on their home floor for the first time since 1995.
"Since I've been the head coach, we've not won at Norwell," said JCHS coach Craig Teagle, whose team won its 12 straight game. "We've just always struggled here. One year (2003-04) we came in 5-1 ... and they beat us by 18 ... We just do not play well here, and we didn't play very well tonight. I'm thankful we found a way to win."
Both coaches agreed senior point guard Luke Goetz was a big reason.
After scoring just three first-half points, Goetz posted four in the third quarter and then led the Patriots (15-4) on the run that decided the game.
Norwell (8-12) had pulled to within a point when Brandon Gerber hit a pair of foul shots with no time remaining on the third-quarter clock. The free throws followed a questionable foul call on what looked like a good block by Adam Garringer at the buzzer, but Goetz quickly made Patriot fans forget about the play.
On the first Jay County possession of the fourth quarter, Goetz nailed a 3-pointer off a Billy Wellman assist. It was only his third long ball of the year.
Just 15 seconds later, he dropped a pair of free throws to extend the advantage back to six points. The Knights closed back to within four points twice, but Garringer nailed another 3-pointer and Goetz assisted on a hoop for Eric Homan.
"Their point guard killed us. There's no question about it. He just killed us," said Norwell coach Doug Hicks. "He made all the tough catches, made the deflects, made the big three, made the passes, made all the plays that needed to be made at crucial times.
"He killed us. He's a winner. ... I thought he was the difference."
The 12-4 run to open the final period gave the Patriots their largest lead of the game - nine points. Norwell never got closer than four the rest of the way.
Goetz shot 5-of-7 from the field, scoring 11 of his team-high 14 points in the second half. He also had four assists.
"Luke Goetz's energy was really good," said Teagle. "He showed senior leadership ... got some deflections and got us out on the break a couple times. And then we shot the ball tremendous tonight."
Jay County, which trailed by three after the first period and one at halftime before grabbing the lead for good late in the third quarter, shot better than 50 percent from the field for the ninth time in the last 10 games.
They were 17-of-27 (63 percent) overall, and buried half of their 12 3-point tries. Heath Rigby led the long distance effort with a 3-for-3 mark as he scored nine points, and Adam Garringer went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 4-for-4 at the foul line for his 12.
The Patriots were also 14-of-17 (82 percent) from the foul line.
Eric Homan finished with just two points, but keyed the win as much as anyone. After scoring seven points in the junior varsity contest, the sophomore was forced into action when Clint Muhlenkamp picked up a technical foul with three minutes left in the third quarter.
By team rule Muhlenkamp, the team's top defender and tallest player, was forced to the bench for the remainder of the night. Homan took over, playing most of the fourth quarter and defending Norwell senior captain Ryne Otis.
"He just continues to grow and mature as a player," said Teagle. "I love his attitude. He just plays. He doesn't let the game effect him ... he's always steady."
Norwell, which struggled through a six-game losing streak earlier in the season, did some good things against the Patriots. It won the battle of the glass 20-11 and did the better job of getting points in the paint than any team has in weeks.
But the Knights were unable to overcome Jay County's run to open the fourth quarter, despite pulling to within four points three times in the final two minutes.
"That's what teams that are on winning streaks do," said Hicks of the Patriots, who have won at least 15 games in six straight seasons. "They hit a little spurt and they hold you off. ... They just have a good knowledge of how to play. They're extremely well coached, they put a lot of time in during the summers, and it shows.
"We did a lot of good things tonight. Defensively I'm not real happy with where we're at. You look at the film, they're going to have a lot of uncontested looks. That's what we're going to see."
Jay County will look to close with a 13th consecutive win when it hosts Monroe Central (12-7) Friday night. It will then have a week off before playing Huntington North (4-14) in the Marion sectional Friday, Feb. 29.
"It's hugely important," said Teagle of the regular-season finale. "One of the reasons it's important is for sectional momentum obviously. The other reason is the seniors (Goetz, Rigby, Muhlenkamp and Aaron Daniels). I just love that group. They're great kids, they have great heart. They do anything we've ever asked them to do. They're four outstanding young men and I'd like to see them sent off in the right way, and that would be with a win on Friday night."
Junior varsity
Garrett Krieg's buzzer beater lifted the Patriots to a 33-30 victory over Norwell.
Jay County trailed by six at the half, but pulled ahead in the fourth quarter only to have Jordan Shady of the Knights tie the game with a pair of free throws in the final minute. After failed attempts to take the lead by each team, the Patriots called timeout with 12.8 seconds remaining.
Trey Dunn worked the ball on the left side, looking for a pass into the post. The opening wasn't there, and for a moment it looked as if the game would end without JCHS even getting a shot off. But as the final seconds ticked away Dunn fired the ball to Krieg in the left corner. With a quick catch-and-shoot, the freshman got the ball out of his hands just before the buzzer sounded and buried the game-winning 3-pointer.
The last-second shot gave Krieg 10 points to lead the Patriots while Jacob Westlake scored nine. Eric Homan and Dexter Shreve, who dunked on the opening possession, each added seven points.
Shady paced Norwell with 14 points. Jake Shapely scored seven, and Kyle Johnloz added six.[[In-content Ad]]
Jay County High School's boys basketball ended a five-game, 12-year losing streak with a 54-50 victory, beating the host Norwell Knights on their home floor for the first time since 1995.
"Since I've been the head coach, we've not won at Norwell," said JCHS coach Craig Teagle, whose team won its 12 straight game. "We've just always struggled here. One year (2003-04) we came in 5-1 ... and they beat us by 18 ... We just do not play well here, and we didn't play very well tonight. I'm thankful we found a way to win."
Both coaches agreed senior point guard Luke Goetz was a big reason.
After scoring just three first-half points, Goetz posted four in the third quarter and then led the Patriots (15-4) on the run that decided the game.
Norwell (8-12) had pulled to within a point when Brandon Gerber hit a pair of foul shots with no time remaining on the third-quarter clock. The free throws followed a questionable foul call on what looked like a good block by Adam Garringer at the buzzer, but Goetz quickly made Patriot fans forget about the play.
On the first Jay County possession of the fourth quarter, Goetz nailed a 3-pointer off a Billy Wellman assist. It was only his third long ball of the year.
Just 15 seconds later, he dropped a pair of free throws to extend the advantage back to six points. The Knights closed back to within four points twice, but Garringer nailed another 3-pointer and Goetz assisted on a hoop for Eric Homan.
"Their point guard killed us. There's no question about it. He just killed us," said Norwell coach Doug Hicks. "He made all the tough catches, made the deflects, made the big three, made the passes, made all the plays that needed to be made at crucial times.
"He killed us. He's a winner. ... I thought he was the difference."
The 12-4 run to open the final period gave the Patriots their largest lead of the game - nine points. Norwell never got closer than four the rest of the way.
Goetz shot 5-of-7 from the field, scoring 11 of his team-high 14 points in the second half. He also had four assists.
"Luke Goetz's energy was really good," said Teagle. "He showed senior leadership ... got some deflections and got us out on the break a couple times. And then we shot the ball tremendous tonight."
Jay County, which trailed by three after the first period and one at halftime before grabbing the lead for good late in the third quarter, shot better than 50 percent from the field for the ninth time in the last 10 games.
They were 17-of-27 (63 percent) overall, and buried half of their 12 3-point tries. Heath Rigby led the long distance effort with a 3-for-3 mark as he scored nine points, and Adam Garringer went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 4-for-4 at the foul line for his 12.
The Patriots were also 14-of-17 (82 percent) from the foul line.
Eric Homan finished with just two points, but keyed the win as much as anyone. After scoring seven points in the junior varsity contest, the sophomore was forced into action when Clint Muhlenkamp picked up a technical foul with three minutes left in the third quarter.
By team rule Muhlenkamp, the team's top defender and tallest player, was forced to the bench for the remainder of the night. Homan took over, playing most of the fourth quarter and defending Norwell senior captain Ryne Otis.
"He just continues to grow and mature as a player," said Teagle. "I love his attitude. He just plays. He doesn't let the game effect him ... he's always steady."
Norwell, which struggled through a six-game losing streak earlier in the season, did some good things against the Patriots. It won the battle of the glass 20-11 and did the better job of getting points in the paint than any team has in weeks.
But the Knights were unable to overcome Jay County's run to open the fourth quarter, despite pulling to within four points three times in the final two minutes.
"That's what teams that are on winning streaks do," said Hicks of the Patriots, who have won at least 15 games in six straight seasons. "They hit a little spurt and they hold you off. ... They just have a good knowledge of how to play. They're extremely well coached, they put a lot of time in during the summers, and it shows.
"We did a lot of good things tonight. Defensively I'm not real happy with where we're at. You look at the film, they're going to have a lot of uncontested looks. That's what we're going to see."
Jay County will look to close with a 13th consecutive win when it hosts Monroe Central (12-7) Friday night. It will then have a week off before playing Huntington North (4-14) in the Marion sectional Friday, Feb. 29.
"It's hugely important," said Teagle of the regular-season finale. "One of the reasons it's important is for sectional momentum obviously. The other reason is the seniors (Goetz, Rigby, Muhlenkamp and Aaron Daniels). I just love that group. They're great kids, they have great heart. They do anything we've ever asked them to do. They're four outstanding young men and I'd like to see them sent off in the right way, and that would be with a win on Friday night."
Junior varsity
Garrett Krieg's buzzer beater lifted the Patriots to a 33-30 victory over Norwell.
Jay County trailed by six at the half, but pulled ahead in the fourth quarter only to have Jordan Shady of the Knights tie the game with a pair of free throws in the final minute. After failed attempts to take the lead by each team, the Patriots called timeout with 12.8 seconds remaining.
Trey Dunn worked the ball on the left side, looking for a pass into the post. The opening wasn't there, and for a moment it looked as if the game would end without JCHS even getting a shot off. But as the final seconds ticked away Dunn fired the ball to Krieg in the left corner. With a quick catch-and-shoot, the freshman got the ball out of his hands just before the buzzer sounded and buried the game-winning 3-pointer.
The last-second shot gave Krieg 10 points to lead the Patriots while Jacob Westlake scored nine. Eric Homan and Dexter Shreve, who dunked on the opening possession, each added seven points.
Shady paced Norwell with 14 points. Jake Shapely scored seven, and Kyle Johnloz added six.[[In-content Ad]]
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