Cougars defeat Marion in jr. high opener
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
The Centre Junior High School boys' basketball roster includes 19 players. They are coached by Stan Wiles.
They played their first games Monday at home against Marion.
The varsity defeated Marion, 33-19.
The Cougars came into the game with enthusiasm and drive which exhibited itself at both ends of the court. They made eight straight field goals and one free throw before Marion finally scored. A.J. Temel completed five of them.
The Cougars' aggressive play forced numerous turnovers and missed shots. The first quarter ended with Centre leading, 17-2.
Scoring fell off in the second quarter as numerous substitutions were made. Centre's first score in the second quarter came with 1:54 left in the half. Rustyn Kerbs sank a three-pointer, giving Centre a 22-3 halftime lead.
The Warriors remained in a slump in the third quarter, scoring just two points. Centre scored nine points, including two field goals by Brian Burhoop.
Coach Wiles played substitutes the final quarter, allowing Marion to get an advantage. Marion added 14 points and Centre scored two, but the Cougars finished the game with a 14-point win.
Temel led scoring with 14 points, followed by Burhoop with nine. Other scorers were Kerbs and Tanner Brunner with one three-pointer each, and Cole Svoboda and Tyler Klenda with two points each.
The B team defeated Marion, 22-19. It was a seesaw game. Marion led 10-4 after the first quarter, but play was reversed in the second, as Centre scored 10 and Marion failed to score. Centre led 14-10 at halftime.
Marion surged ahead again in the third quarter, 7-0, to lead 17-14. Centre came back to outscore Marion 8-2 and take home a three-point run.
The Cougars' scoring was spread among nine players. Jesse Kopietz and Brunner scored four points each. Mikael Antoszyk, Cole Svoboda, Casey Kristek, Adam Matz, Brandon Temel, Jacob Jirak, and Kordell Harding scored two points each.
A short C game resulted in a 6-4 win for Marion. Trevor Hageberg made two field goals for all of Centre's points.
The junior high boys are scheduled to play Hope Monday in another home game.
