Wildcats trounce Bearcats for 42-point win

LEESBURG — Sometimes teams just have a very good day, and that was the case for the Whiteoak Wildcats Saturday afternoon at the Chad Hodson Classic as they controlled every aspect of their game against the Paint Valley Bearcats for a 61-19 win in Grandle Gymnasium at Fairfield High School. 

The Wildcats led 20-4 after the first frame, and from there had quarter scoring of 17 points, 17 points and seven points for the 42-point victory. Paint Valley scored six points in the second, seven points in the third and two points in the fourth frame. 

At halftime, the Wildcats led 37-10, and when the third quarter came to a close it was Whiteoak leading 54-19. 

The score was tied early at 2-2 as senior Brady Brandenburg scored the first points of the game for Whiteoak, then after two points by PVHS, WHS went on an 18-2 run (including 15 consecutive points) for the 20-4 lead. That run began at the 5:32 mark with a 3-pointer by senior Sawyer Blair, then Blair made another trey 27 seconds later. 

Following a travel by Paint Valley, the Bearcats saw Brandenburg make three consecutive baskets for a 14-2 lead with 2:58 left in the quarter. The 15-0 scoring run was completed with a 3-pointer by junior Jason Gaskins. The 18-2 run was finished when sophomore Christopher Wessner sank a 3-pointer with 4.5 on the clock for the 16-point lead at 20-4. 

The 18-2 run of the first frame had eight more points added to it for a 26-2 run as the Wildcats scored the first eight points of the second quarter, with baskets by Brandenburg, sophomore Carson Hart, and two more buckets from Brandenburg for a 28-4 lead with 5:35 left in the second frame. 

After a basket by the Bearcats, Whiteoak finished the final 3:55 of the first half outscoring the Bearcats 8-4 for a 37-10 halftime advantage with the eight points scored by Wessner and Gaskins. 

WHS in the third had four points off two baskets by freshman Lucas Pollard, two free throws made by senior Zach Igo, two points from Gaskins, a free throw made by Wessner, five points by Brandenburg and a free throw by Hart. 

The fourth-frame scoring for the Wildcats saw Igo with two points, Wessner with two points, Evan Richmond with three points off a basket and free throw, Jonah Michael scored a basket for two points and Hart connected with a free throw. 

Brandenburg led Whiteoak with 19 points, as he made nine two-point buckets and was 1-of-2 from the free-throw line.

Gaskins and Wessner each scored 10 points for the Wildcats, as Gaskins made three two-point baskets, one 3-pointer and was 1-of-1 from the free-throw line. Wessner also made three two-point baskets and a 3-pointer and finished 1-of-4 from the free-throw line.

Blair totaled six points in the win, making two 3-pointers.

Scoring four points each were Pollard and Igo. Richmond and Hart each scored three points, and with two points was Jonah Michael. 

Whiteoak’s team totals were 21 two-point baskets, four 3-pointers, and they were 7-of-12 from the free-throw line. 

Paint Valley was led by Kayne Scott with six points, followed by Jose Rhinehart with four points. The rest of Paint Valley’s scoring included two points each from Carter Elliott, Brennan Ison, Gabe Dehoyas and Ethan Burke. Scoring one point for PVHS was James Thompson. 

Paint Valley’s totals included nine two-point baskets, and they were 1-of-4 from the free-throw line. 

MVPs for the game were Whiteoak’s Brandenburg and PV’s Scott.

The loss drops Paint Valley to 0-11 overall. Whiteoak improves to 4-4 on the season. 

Next for Whiteoak (1-3, 4-4) is a home Southern Hills Athletic Conference game on Tuesday, Jan. 6 against the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs (1-3, 3-6). 

BOX SCORE
PVHS    04 06 09 00 — 19
WHS    20 17 15 09 — 61

Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 26 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.