Miami Trace’s seniors were recognized prior to the game against Waverly Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (l-r); Coleden May, Brady Armstrong, Bryson Osborne, Austin Boedeker and Ben Mathews.
Chris Hoppes | Record-Herald photos
The Miami Trace Panthers hosted the Waverly Tigers for a non-league game Saturday, Jan. 27.
The Tigers began the game with a 5-0 lead, but the Panthers rallied and went on to win, 54-43.
The game was played in front of a fairly large crowd as it was senior night for Miami Trace.
The Panthers recognized many of their seniors, including six senior cheerleaders and five senior basketball players.
Senior cheerleaders are: Madilyn Roshto, Amberly Szczerbiak, Kaley Moser, Brooklyn Riggs, Hallie Sword, and Aerris Shiltz.
Senior basketball players are: Brady Armstrong, Coleden May, Ben Mathews, Austin Boedeker and Bryson Osborne.
Waverly led the game until sophomore Adam Guthrie made two free throws at the 38-second mark, giving the Panthers an 11-10 lead. The Panthers would not relinquish the lead.
Sophomore Grant Guess scored just before the end of the quarter, giving Miami Trace a 13-10 lead.
Momentum was with the Panthers as the second quarter unfolded. In total, Miami Trace went on a 12-3 run for a 15-10 lead.
Waverly was able to stay close by making several three-point field goals in the game.
The Tigers made 7 of 16 threes for 44 percent. Miami Trace made 3 of 16 threes in the game for 19 percent.
Miami Trace led by as many as 12 points midway through the second quarter (27-15).
Waverly hit two more threes and Osborne scored the final bucket of the half to set the score at 29-23, in favor of the Panthers.
The Tigers hit an additional pair of long-range shots to begin the third quarter, pulling to within two points, 31-29 with 6:24 to play in the quarter.
Osborne, Guess and Guthrie scored to give the Panthers some breathing room, 37-29.
Waverly, though trailing, continued to hang around.
The Panthers held a 39-33 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Waverly made it a three-point game early in the final period.
Again, the Panthers had an answer, with Boedeker, Osborne and Guthrie putting Miami Trace back up by nine.
Boedeker and Guess scored giving the Panthers a 49-38 lead.
After a Waverly turnover with just under three minutes remaining, the Panthers began to run some time off the clock.
With 2:15 to play, Waverly had not committed a foul.
The Tigers began to foul, but the Panthers made 5 of their final 6 free throw attempts and emerged with a 54-43 victory.
Guess led the Panthers with 14 points. He also had three rebounds and two assists.
Boedeker scored 12 points, including hit two of Miami Trace’s three three-point field goals. He had one rebound and one assist.
Guthrie scored eight points and had 10 rebounds (four offensive) as well as one assist and two steals.
Osborne scored eight points and also had three rebounds, two assists and three steals.
May scored two points and grabbed five rebounds (four offensive) and also blocked one shot.
Junior Trey Robinette scored two points and had one assist.
For Waverly, freshman Landyn Russell was the game’s leading scorer with 16 points.
Senior Caden Nibert was next for the Tigers with 10 points. He made three three-point field goals.
Senior Jamison Morton and freshman Sawyer Myers each hit two threes for six points and another freshman, Gunnar Myers, hit one three and finished with five points.
“In the first half I was kind of wound up,” acting head coach Brian Southward said. “I was trying to get them going. We had a rough night last night (a 42-38 win at Jackson Friday, Jan. 26).
“The gym last night at Jackson was like 140 degrees,” Southward said. “Bodies were flying everywhere. We came out with a big win (at Jackson), but I knew our kids were sore this morning and they were tired.
“Coming in tonight, I didn’t want a let down,” Southward said. “I know (Waverly) starts three freshmen, a junior and a senior. I wanted to trap a lot more, but I just couldn’t do it.”
Miami Trace was not hitting well from three-point range and Southward tried to get the Panthers to leave the outside shot alone and look for Guthrie on the inside.
“They wanted to keep shooting the three and keep shooting the three,” Southward said. “I told them, ‘no more threes. I want the ball inside.’ That’s our presence and everyone knows it.”
Miami Trace (13-4 overall) is at Minford Tuesday to take on the 11-2 Falcons.
Miami Trace varsity will play at Washington High School Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The Panthers are 8-0 in the Frontier Athletic Conference and the Blue Lions are 6-1.
Also this Saturday, Feb. 3, the Miami Trace varsity girls team will play at Washington High School at 6 p.m.
On Friday, Feb. 2, there will be three games at Washington High School.
The first will be the freshman boys game between the Panthers and Blue Lions starting at 4:45 p.m.
There follows the j-v girls game with Washington taking on Miami Trace at 6 p.m. and finally the boys j-v game between the Panthers and Blue Lions at approximately 7:15 p.m.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
MT 13 16 10 15 — 54
W 10 13 10 10 — 43
MIAMI TRACE — Ben Mathews 0-0-0; Trey Robinette 1-0-2; Grant Guess 6-2-14; Coleden May 1-0-2; Brady Armstrong 1 (1)-3-8; Bryson Yeoman 0-0-0; Skye Salyers 0-0-0; Austin Boedeker 2 (2)-2-12; Adam Guthrie 2-4-8; Bryson Osborne 4-0-8. TOTALS — 17 (3)-11-54. Free throw shooting: 11 of 14 for 79 percent. Three-point field goals: Boedeker, 2; Armstrong. Field goal shooting: 20 of 49 for 41 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 3 of 16 for 19 percent. Rebounds: 28 (11 offensive). Turnovers: 8. Assists: 9. Steals: 8. Blocked shots: 1. Fouls: 12.
WAVERLY — Gunnar Myers 1 (1)-0-5; Cade Carroll 0-0-0; Westin Bloss 0-0-0; Jamison Morton 0 (2)-0-6; Teagan Hurt 0-0-0; Caden Nibert 0 (3)-1-10; Landyn Russell 6 (1)-1-16; Sawyer Myers 0 (2)-0-6. TOTALS — 9 (7)-4-43. Free throw shooting: 4 of 6 for 67 percent. Three-point field goals: Nibert, 3; Morton, 2; Myers, Russell. Field goal shooting: 16 of 39 for 41 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 7 of 16 for 44 percent. Offensive rebounds: 4. Turnovers: 13.
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Miami Trace beats Waverly in j-v game
In the junior-varsity game Saturday, Jan. 27, Miami Trace improved to 15-2 with a 45-28 win over Waverly.
Connor Napier led the Panthers with 12 points. He made two three-point baskets.
Bryson Yeoman connected for two threes and finished with 10 points.
Julian Baker scored eight points, Luke Armstrong had five, Anthony Huffer scored four and Ian Rayburn and Dane Wilt each made one three-point shot.
Teagan Hurt led the game for Waverly with 13 points.
Hez Nelson scored six for the Tigers.
