Indian boys split games over the weekend

MINSTER and MCCOMB, Ohio — The Indians had won four consecutive games entering the weekend.

The streak ended Friday, but they bounced back Saturday.

Fort Recovery High School’s boys basketball team split a pair of games this weekend, losing to conference rival Minster Wildcats 55-44 Friday before a 69-26 victory Saturday over the host McComb Panthers, 69-26.

The Indians fell behind Minster 9-6 after the first quarter and trailed by six at halftime. The Wildcats created separation in the third quarter with an 18-6 edge in scoring before Fort Recovery put up a rally in the final period with 22 points and eventually fell short.

Ryan Braun led the Tribe with 14 points, including eight points with two 3-pointers in the 22-point fourth quarter. Payton Jutte followed with 13 points, and Derek Jutte chipped in nine points.

On Saturday against McComb, Fort Recovery jumped out to a 17-9 lead heading to the second quarter and cruised the rest of the way. The Indians led 34-19 at half and by 21 after three quarters.

Grant Knapke scored a team-best 14 points for the Indians (12-9, 2-6 Midwest Athletic Conference). Clay Schmitz contributed 12 points and Payton Jutte and Braun had 11 apiece.



Thien ties record

MCCOMB, Ohio — Grace Thien tied her own school record with seven 3-pointers Saturday in leading the Fort Recovery girls basketball team to a 60-47 victory over the McComb Panthers in the Tribe’s season finale.

The Division IV No. 8 Indians (17-5) led by just three after the opening quarter and had a 16-7 advantage in scoring before half to go into the break ahead by a dozen. The margin ballooned to 21 points after three quarters.

Thien was on fire from the outside, draining four triples in the second half including three in the fourth quarter. She finished with a game-high 25 points.

Carley Stone and Val Muhlenkamp both contributed 10 points in support of Thien. Brooke Kahlig, Kierra Wendel and Olivia Patch all had five points.

Fort Recovery opens Wapakoneta District play against the Ada Bulldogs in the sectional final at 8 p.m. Saturday at Allen East in Herrod.



SA drops two

BERNE — The South Adams boys basketball team had its losing streak hit four games as it dropped a pair of contests at home over the weekend.

The Starfires finished Allen County Athletic Conference play at 1-5 with a 37-29 loss to county rival Adams Central on Friday, then fell to 5-15 on the year after a 55-49 defeat Saturday to Monroe Central. 

South Adams shot a measly 29.4 percent from the field against Adams Central as it trailed 15-8 after the first quarter and 27-15 at halftime. The Stars trimmed the margin to 10 points heading into the fourth but weren’t able to get much closer.

Lars In’t Groen paced South Adams with 16 points, and Spenser Clark was second on the team with five points. Brandon Newman hauled in a game-best nine rebounds.

The Starfires shot better against Monroe Central but had difficulty containing Israel Nash as he poured in a game-high 22 points.

James Arnold scored 14 points for South Adams as In’t Groen and Clark added 13 apiece.