Redbirds drop close season finale

WOOSTER — A season-ending game for the Loudonville High School boys basketball team came on Saturday against the Akron Manchester Panthers. The Redbirds were defeated in the second round of the tournament, 59-52, at Wooster High School.

Loudonville (13-8) stayed close to the Panthers from the tip-off. Manchester (15-5) took an early lead with a free throw from senior Blake Marsh and then a 3-pointer by senior Aaron Nash, 4-0, but the Redbirds fired off their own pair of three-point goals from sophomore Tyler Mowery and senior Logan Scott. At the end of the first quarter, Loudonville trailed by seven, 17-10.

“This was a tough opening game for us,” said Manchester head coach Gene Schindewolf. “It was not their opener, but we’ve played Loudonville a number of years. It’s a good, hard-fought, clean game and it always is. Fortunately, we hit some shots early.”

Redbirds’ junior Nick Chapman gave a good second-quarter start, scoring five consecutive points for his team. Manchester stayed in the game, hitting big shots even with Loudonville’s defense in their face. Junior Bo Bennett was strong behind the arc, hitting two more 3s in the second period for the Panthers.

“We got hands up in faces and they still hit them,” said Loudonville head coach Brandon Grimes. “That’s what good shooters do. They hit shots whether the defense is on them or not.”

Mowery drained a three-point goal to end the half for the trailing Redbirds, 32-26, but Loudonville didn’t come out with enough momentum in the third quarter to stop the Panthers from running up the score. Manchester opened up the half with five quick points. Scott replied with a Redbird score, but the Panthers took off on a seven-point run to lead by 16, 44-28.

“We dug a hole for ourselves in the third quarter,” Grimes said, “and we never could quite get back within one or two possessions.”

Loudonville responded with 2:22 left in the third. Sophomore Kalen Tacket started the Redbirds off on their own seven-point spurt with two baskets in the post. Scott finished the quarter with a two-pointer, closing the gap to nine, 44-35.

“It just takes so much energy to get back from that kind of deficit that it was tough,” said Grimes. “Until you can see yourself getting to that one-possession game or actually taking the lead, your going to feel that fatigue from coming back.”

The Panthers’ offense scored 15 points in the fourth quarter, but allowed the Redbirds’ 17. Manchester’s defense put a stop to Loudonville’s last chance comeback, however.

“I thought defensively down the stretch, we knew some of their sets from seeing them play and I thought we defended them pretty well,” Schindewolf said. “I guess it was a combination of offense maybe one half and defense the second half.”

The Redbirds scored at 1:22, but could not find the bucket again until 22 seconds left on the clock. Junior Ryan Conway hit a 3-pointer at the end for Loudonville, 58-52. The Panthers finished the game with Bennett shooting a pair of shots from the line and hitting 1-of-2.

Loudonville ended its season fighting hard and coach Grimes said he is proud of the team and the class that his players have shown throughout the season.

“I know a lot of people had a lot of expectations for us and we did for each other,” Grimes said “But I know the guys did as good as job as they could and worked as hard as they could work. I’m very pleased with the season and the progress these kids made.”