Jutte, Indians fall short

MARIA STEIN, Ohio — The milestone will have to wait at least one more night.

Payton Jutte, who entered Friday night needing nine points to hit 1,000 for his career, came up three short as the Fort Recovery High School boys basketball team fell 47-39 to the host Marion Local Flyers.

It was the squad’s third straight loss, following defeats of 58-50 to Coldwater and 46-25 to Fort Loramie last weekend.

The Indians (8-8, 2-5 Midwest Athletic Conference) showed plenty of fight against the defending Division IV state champions, taking a 23-21 lead into halftime. But they fell behind by two heading into the final period before fading to the eight-point defeat.

Jutte, who now sits at 997 career points, was blanked in the first and fourth quarters. He finished with one field goal while going 4-for-4 from the line as the Flyers held him to the season-low scoring total. 

Noah Lennartz paced Fort Recovery with 12 points, eight of which came in the opening quarter. Grant Knapke and Derek Jutte each joined Payton Jutte in scoring six points.

Marion Local (9-5, 5-1 MAC), which entered the evening tied atop the conference with Division IV No. 2 St. Henry and Minster, got more than half of its points (24) from 6-foot, 5-inch senior Nathan Bruns. He hit his lone triple early en route to a nine-point first quarter and added seven fourth-quarter points to help put the game away.

Nick Tangerman was next for the Flyers with seven points, four of which came in the final period.

Jutte can become the 17th player in Tribe history to reach 1,000 points when Fort Recovery hosts Mississinawa Valley tonight.

The Indians also dropped the junior varsity game, 43-28. Ryne Post scored 17 points to lead FRHS.