Bulldogs steamroll East Buch, advance to season’s 4th meeting with Penney

The Trenton Bulldogs surged into the postseason with a 21-6 blitz of the East Buchanan Bulldogs in Tuesday afternoon’s first quarter, and led by double-digits the rest of the way, in a dominant 73-49 victory that moves THS to 18-8 on the season, and into a Thursday night district semifinal with the rival Penney Hornets.

In the Class 3, District 16 quarterfinals at Lathrop High School, Trenton was led by Spencer Harris with 24 points, with Connor Cotton adding 22 (including 14 of 15 from the free-throw line), Lathan Croy 14 (12 in the second half), and Corbyn Guile 10 (all in the 1st half).

Head Coach Jeremy Austin was pleased with the Bulldogs response to their first district test:

East Buchanan, the #6 seed in the District 16 tournament, had 17 points from Ethan Kilgore.  Tuesday night’s game was broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3.

Trenton’s next opponent will be the Penney High School Hornets of Hamilton, in the fourth meeting of the season between the squads.  Of Trenton’s seven losses, three have been given to them by a Hornet team with a 21-5 season record.  With all of the games decided in tight fourth-quarter finishes, Hamilton beat Trenton in the semifinals of the Lawson Tournament, in the championship game of the Hamilton Tournament, and in the regular season finale between the schools, on Thursday, February 16th at Penney High School.

Penney advanced in the late game on Tuesday, 64-42 against former conference rival South Harrison.  La Troy Harper had 19 points to lead the Hornets, in an attack bolstered by 12 points from Jaran Richman and 10 for Andrew Ernat.  South Harrison had 19 points from Treyton Campbell.

Trenton and Penney’s semifinal will be played Thursday night at 7:30 from Lathrop, with coverage on KTTN FM 92.3, as Tom Johnson handles the play-by-play call.

The top half of the District 16 boy’s bracket will see an all-Midland Empire Conference semifinal, as the #1 seed Maryville and #5 seed Bishop LeBlond claimed quarterfinal victories.

The Spoofhounds hammered the Brookfield Bulldogs 77-29, while the Eagles pulled the upset over the host Lathrop Mules, 43-35.  The LeBlond / Maryville semifinal will be played on Thursday night at 6 o’clock.

The Class 3, District 16 boy’s championship game will be played on Saturday afternoon at 3:30 from Lathrop High School, with that winner advancing to Class 3 sectional action on Wednesday night, March 1st at Excelsior Springs.

The Trenton Lady Bulldogs will play the Penney Lady Hornets in the first of the two girl’s semifinals, tonight (Wednesday night) at 6 o’clock from Lathrop High School.  The game will be broadcast live on KTTN FM 92.3, with Tom Johnson on the play-by-play.  Trenton’s girls, ranked #5 in the state in Class 3, have beaten Penney twice this season, holding off strong Lady Hornet third-quarter challenges both times.  East Buchanan’s second-seeded Lady Bulldogs take on the host Lathrop Lady Mules at 7:30 tonight in the second semifinal contest.

Trenton’s girls, 23-3 on the season, are two wins away from claiming the school’s second-ever district title in girl’s basketball, and first since 2000. THS lost in a district final appearance last season to Chillicothe, a program that has since moved up to Class 4 for the 2016-2017 season.