Eastern boys prevail, girls fall to Trojans in basketball rivalry
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The Eastern boys’ and girls’ varsity basketball teams made a short trip across the Tipton County line to visit Tri-Central on Dec. 13, but they returned with a mixed result. While the boys prevailed against the Trojans, the girls fell before their stronger rivals.
The boys' game stayed close throughout the first half. The Comets led by just one point at the end of the first stanza and extended the lead slightly to three points at the half, 27-24.
The third quarter spelled the difference for the two teams however, as Eastern matched its first-half total of 27 points. That pushed the lead to 54-37 heading into the fourth.
Tri-Central attempted a comeback in the final period, sinking 25 points. But it wasn't enough as Eastern stayed close and preserved the 10-point victory margin.
The Eastern boys found success in large part due to an explosion of scoring from junior Colton Lindsay. He dropped 41 points on Tri-Central, including a 12-13 performance from the free throw line.
Senior Kyan Hannah joined Lindsay in double digits with 11 points, while freshman Tristan Armogum poured in 10 points. Senior Will Brown led the team with eight rebounds.
Tri-Central featured a trio of scorers, as senior Drake Ramseyer lead the Trojans with 19 points. Junior Jay Jankoviak added 15 points, and junior Logan Sargent was good for 11 points.
Eastern was unable to truly capitalize on the win, going 1-2 before the Christmas break. The Comets carry a 3-3 record into their game at undefeated Taylor (5-0) on Friday night.
Tri-Central recovered nicely from the loss, reeling off three straight wins before school adjourned for the year. The 4-2 Trojans face off against Western Boone (1-6) on Saturday in the opening round of the Morristown Tournament.
The Tri-Central Lady Trojans claimed victory against the Lady Comets as part of the boy-girl doubleheader, taking the game by a score of 45-38.
Eastern was led offensively by seniors Marly Coan and Mackenzie Eagle. Coan netted 13 points and added eight rebounds and a blocked shot to complete a strong evening. Eagle was good for 12 points and six rebounds.
The Eastern defensive front was enhanced by the performances of freshmen Lainey Newlin and Gianna Beechy. Newlin managed a trio of steals and Beechy had a pair of her own.
On the Tri-Central side of the court, junior Logan Creason stood tall with 15 points and 18 rebounds. She also managed a pair of blocks and two steals.
Creason's output was joined by a strong effort from senior Layla Keith who dropped in 12 points and pulled down seven rebounds. Junior Olivia Dempsey took on the role of playmaker, dishing out six assists to her teammates.
The win pushed Tri-Central to a 5-5 record. The girls have since split two more games, bringing their record to 6-6 as they prepare to travel to Eastern Hancock (11-1) on Friday.
The Eastern girls are still searching for their first victory of the season. At 0-13 the Lady Comets travel to Southern Wells (10-3) on Saturday.
See additional photos from both games, courtesy of Adam Hartsough, by visiting the Lantern’s Facebook page or group.