GENEVA —
With weather forecasters predicting an abundance of snow and high winds for Ashtabula County on Friday, people were being asked to take necessary precautions to keep themselves safe.
In fact, there were some in the media who felt the impending weather conditions might even trigger some power outages for some county residents.
For a while Friday night, it appeared that those predictions were coming to fruition as there was a power outage, so to speak, and it was inside of the Geneva High School’s gymnasium as the visiting University School Preppers (5-1 overall, 5-0 PAC) shot the lights out in their 67-35 win over the Geneva Eagles (0-7, 0-5 PAC).
US got things rolling right away in the first quarter, with sharpshooter Sam Bentz (15 points) leading the charge. In that opening stanza, Bentz hit three of his five 3-pointers and US took advantage of some early miscues to race out to an 18-4 lead after one quarter of play, a lead it would not relinquish.
The Preppers never looked back and extended the lead to over 20 points in the second quarter of play. Coach Terry Lipford was pleased with his team’s start (6 first-half 3s, and over 50 percent shooting).
“We shot the ball well to start the game,” he said. “It was nice to see us flow offensively but our defense was very solid. We played all man-to-man defense, doing nothing exotic, and that was effective as well.”
Geneva’s decision to come out in man to man could not be faulted with University boasting three starting players at 6-foot-5 or taller (Bentz, Xavier Bonner, Matt Gibbons). Forcing the Preppers into a perimeter-oriented game didn’t seem to phase the visitors.
“University poses a tough matchup for us,” Geneva coach Scott Torok said. “We needed to manage the game early and be patient, but some early turnovers and second chance points put us in a quick hole. We struggle in those situations.
“It didn’t help that they hit everything from the field.”
After US nailed those early shots, Geneva intensified things out on the perimeter and US again capitalized, getting some good looks on dribble penetration and hitting the boards on the offensive glass. Those factors permitted them to maintain their sizable margin throughout the remainder of the second quarter.
US began the third quarter with a 35-11 lead and it fluctuated between 20 and 30 points for the remainder of the game. Geneva did try to chip away at the deficit, with seniors Matt Mackynen (8 points, 4 rebounds) Vern Thompson (8 points) and David Smalley (8 points) getting a couple of buckets each to cut it under 20 with a little less than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
However, US finished the game as it had started, with a flourish, scoring the game’s last 10 points and when the buzzer sounded it was a 30-point win for Lipford’s first place squad.
The US coach maintains that this type of effort will be required to secure a Premier Athletic Conference title.
“We are off to a good start at 5-0 in the PAC but we also know we have to go to North and to South, with neither being an easy task,” he said. “We cannot take things for granted as this league is well-balanced and the competing teams have good coaches. There’s work to be done.”
DiPofi is freelance writer from Geneva.
Sports
US invades, conquers Geneva
Preppers earn PAC triumph
- Sports
-
-
A Don McCormack column: Frank Hall — the man we know as our hometown hero — thanks to SI, now the world does, too
Sorry, Frank Hall, you’re going to have to get some new material now. But we’ll get to that later.
-
Del Prince, Hickory Grove giving back
As was said in the 2000 film, “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” golf is a game that can’t be won, only played.
-
Brantley leads Indians past Royals in finale
The Indians' offense couldn't do anything in the first four innings. But in the last four, it couldn't be stopped.
-
Give him an Oscar!
For the first three years of his football career with the Grand Valley Mustangs, offensive lineman Alex Oscar said he viewed playing football as more of a job than a fun sport to play.
Then, during his senior year, the Mustangs finished 7-3 and won a Northeastern Athletic Conference title under first-year coach John Glavickas and Oscar suddenly started viewing the game as fun again. -
Goal: Be a Pioneer... literally
Jefferson graduate Ariann Barile doesn’t have plans to rule the world — yet. She has, however, put herself on a path to accomplish that goal if she so decides, by choosing to attend Marietta College and play softball for the Pioneers in the fall.
-
A Don McCormack column: TD Club announces its Class of 2013
Paying a visit to the variety store...
-
Love of the game
Even though Roy Brashear was born two years before James “Farmer” Burns, it was the latter who beat the former in terms of becoming the first man born in the city of Ashtabula to reach the majors.
-
Help wanted...
Loyal Readers, I ask your assistance.
If anyone knows of relatives or information on the following individuals, please contact me at the email address that appears at the end of this brief: -
A Don McCormack column: Blashinsky very much in the game
Dave Blashinsky wears more than one hat, these days.
-
2013 North Coast Road Racing Grand Prix:
n July 4 — Ashtabula YMCA Firecracker 5K, 8:30 a.m., 263 W. Prospect, Ashtabula,
Director: John Bowler 997-5321 - More Sports Headlines
-
