The Trenton Bulldogs, after a Ryan Dabney stick-back early in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s Courtwarming game, trailed the visiting Milan Wildcats, 49-41. However, a Dylan Harris three-point shot ignited a five-point rally, pulling the Bulldogs back into the game.
With momentum shifted, Trenton ended the game on a 21-6 run to defeat the Wildcats, 62-55, pushing the Bulldogs to one game behind the Wildcats for the lead in the Grand River Conference’s Eastern Division, dropping Milan to 17-1 on the season, and 4-1 in GRC play. Carson Radcliff had perhaps the best game of his season for THS, scoring a team-high 18 points before fouling out midway through the fourth quarter.
Lathan Croy had a steady game for the Bulldogs with 14 points, while Kade Ockenfels scored 10 points, but had his most solid contributions coming in the fourth quarter, when the senior dominated the glass for the home team.
The win keeps Trenton’s hopes alive for a second consecutive GRC crown, although Milan still controls its own destiny in the East race. On Tuesday night, the Wildcats travel to Unionville to play the Putnam County Midgets in a 7:30 contest to be broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3. Both the Wildcats and Midgets have 4-1 records, tied at the top of the divisional race. Trenton, at 3-2, is one game back. The Bulldogs can repeat as GRC East champions if they get victories over Polo (January 29th) and Putnam County (January 30th), and Milan loses to either Putnam County or Gallatin. If either Putnam County or Milan “win out”, they will take the East title, meaning a likely trip to Rosendale to take on unbeaten, Class 1, #2 ranked North Andrew in the GRC title game on Friday, February 2nd.
In their first loss of the season, Milan was led by Ryan Dabney with 20 points. Hunter Shaw added 11, and Dominic Dabney 10.
In the girls game, Trenton junior guard Ainsley Tolson became the first player in the history of the Lady Bulldog program to hit the 1,000 point mark in her junior season, with a free throw 3 minutes and 40 seconds into the first quarter giving Tolson “quadruple-digits” in the scoring column. Trenton went on to roll the Lady Wildcats, 78-21, as Tolson ended up with seven points on the night. Mykah Hurley played her traditionally strong two-way game, harassing Milan’s ball handlers, hitting a pair of three-point shots, and getting out on the break for numerous transition baskets, part of a game-high 18 point night. Freshman Maci Moore added 16, and Sidney Lynch, in her first action since an ankle sprain suffered on January 8th, scored 10 points. Ashten Whitaker contributed nine points and a pair of steals in the blowout win.
Trenton’s girls appear to be in “cruise control”, headed for a second consecutive trip to the GRC championship game. The record for #3 ranked (MBCA Class 3) Trenton is now 15-1 overall, and 5-1 in the GRC. The Lady Bulldogs need one more conference win (against either Polo or Putnam County) to clinch the divisional crown. The Stanberry Lady Bulldogs have already clinched the GRC West title, and will host the title game at 6 PM on February 2nd.
Other final scores from Friday, January 19, 2018 were:
GIRLS:
Princeton 66, Polo 29 (on KTTN FM 92.3) (Lady Tigers led by Jaelyn Thomas with 14 ,Payton Goodin and Lindsey Batson both with 12 points)
Putnam County 53, Maysville 46
Gallatin 71, South Harrison 32
Stanberry 56, King City 41
Worth County 73, Pattonsburg 16
Grundy R-5 62, Mercer 59
North Harrison 61, Gilman City 14
Brashear 45, Newtown-Harris 34
Scotland County 57, Marceline 41 (3rd place game – North Shelby Tournament)
North Andrew 50, Braymer 38
Albany 45, St. Joseph Christian 34
East Harrison 58, Tri-County 40
Meadville 61, Northwestern 55
Hamilton 44, Lawson 14
Orrick 52, Tina-Avalon 29
St. Joseph Benton 50, Basehor-Linwood (KS) 23
Southwest Livingston 84, Hale 26 (Kortlyn Rounkles 40, Kaylie Campbell 25 points for SW)
BOYS:
Princeton 64, Polo 46 (on KTTN FM 92.3) (Tigers led by Preston Thomas and Blaine Millburn, both with 15 points)
Putnam County 69, Maysville 65
South Harrison 65, Gallatin 52
Worth County 50, Pattonsburg 43
Mercer 64, Grundy R-5 42
North Harrison 53, Gilman City 49
Cameron 57, Bishop LeBlond 56
Maryville 55, Savannah 38
North Andrew 89, Braymer 48
St. Joseph Christian 62, Albany 34
Stanberry 63, King City 48
East Harrison 75, Tri-County 54
Meadville 54, Northwestern 42
Hamilton 78, Lawson 48
Southwest Livingston 71, Hale 46 (Wyatt Maddux 25 points, Drew Braden 14 for SW)
