The boys basketball game between Corry and Warren in the Joseph A. Massa Memorial Gymnasium Friday was about the start, and the finish.

The Beavers started quickly and closed strongly, while the Dragons struggled both at the outset and to finish the game. The result was a 66-61 Region 6 win for Corry.

“The game was lost in the first quarter,” Warren coach Jeff Berdine said. “We came out with no effort, no energy. I’ll take responsibility for that. We were not in it early.”

Corry (8-6 overall, 3-3 Region 6) began the game with a 7-0 run thanks to five points from Taylor Willis. Griffin Suppa hit a 3-pointer with 6:23 to go in the quarter.

Warren’s Jake Kupchella (2) puts in a layup during the first half of a game against Corry at Warren Area High School, Friday, Jan. 18, 2019. Kupchella finished with a team-high 26 points, but it wasn’t enough to get the win.

The Dragons (6-6, 4-2) wouldn’t score again until less than a minute remained in the period. Layups from Jake Kupchella and Ben Berdine late closed the gap a bit, but the Beavers led 19-7 after one.

“We had to go on a run to make it a 12-point difference,” Berdine said.

Devin McMeans had a strong sequence early in the second period to help Warren close the gap. He hit a 3-pointer, then showed off some of the skills that made him a first-team all-region safety by intercepting a Corry pass at mid-court. He got the ball back later on that possession and knocked down another 3 to cut the deficit to single digits with just under six minutes to play in the half. The Dragons continued to chip away at the lead and an Aidan Morrison 3-pointer cut it to 26-20 with just a minute to go.

Warren couldn’t get a crucial stop late in the half, however, as Branden Elchynski buried a 3 with five seconds to go. Corry led 29-20 at the half.

“Corry always plays well here,” Berdine said. “They got into a rhythm early and we couldn’t get them out of it.”

Warren’s Mitch Grosch (12) lines up a jump shot late in the third quarter of a game against Corry at Warren Area High School, Friday, Jan. 18,

Caleb Ei, Warren’s leading scorer, hit a corner 3 early in the third quarter for his first points of the game. The Dragons kept battling back, but Corry was able to fend them off to keep the advantage. Morrison’s second 3-pointer of the game cut it to 35-32. Elchynski had a chance at a traditional 3-point play with 2:54 left in the quarter, but missed the free throw. Morrison buried his third deep ball of the game to make it 37-35. Elchynski responded with a 3-pointer of his own, but Kupchella answered with a deep ball to keep it a 2-point game. A second Kupchella 3-ball made it a 1-point game, 42-41, with 1:18 to play. Warren got a stop defensively and with 13 seconds to go, Mitch Grosch knocked down a mid-range jumper to give the Dragons their first lead of the game, 43-42.

“We got back in it in the third quarter,” Berdine said.

Corry went on a 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter. Elchynski nailed a 3, his third of the game, to start it and Willis completed a 3-point play on the next possession. Elchynski then connected on another 3-pointer to make it 51-45 with 5:35 to play.

Warren clawed its way back in it. After starting the period cold from the floor, Kupchella hit a corner 3 to cut the lead to five with just over three minutes to go. Grosch hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 55-55 with 2:58 left. Nathan Gentilman, who hadn’t scored all game, went 3-4 from the line on consecutive trips to give Corry a 58-55 advantage. The Beavers went 14-17 from the line down the stretch to put the game away as the Dragons again went cold from the field.

“They knocked down their free throws,” Berdine said. “We got good looks down the stretch, but didn’t knock them down.”

The Warren Area High School cheerleaders yell for their Dragons during Friday's game.

Elchynski finished with a game-high 33 points. Micah Knapp added 14 and Willis nine in the win.

“Elchynski had a great effort,” Berdine said.

Kupchella had a double-double for the Dragons with 26 points and 15 rebounds. Morrison had 10 points and six rebounds. Griffin Suppa had five points and dished out 16 assists.

Warren was scheduled to be back at it today against Mercer, but that game has been postponed with no make-up announced. The Dragons host region-leader Titusville (10-3, 5-1) Tuesday.

Warren won the junior varsity game, 57-36.

Payton Barnes, Thomas Bablak and Ryan Arnold each had nine points in the win.

– – –

Corry (66)

Elchynski 11-7-11-33, Knapp 7-0-0-14, Willis 2-4-5-9, Gentilman 0-5-8-5, Zajac 1-0-0-3, James 0-2-2-2, Carey 0-0-0-0, Team 21-18-26-66

Warren (61)

Kupchella 9-4-4-26, Morrison 3-1-2-10, Ei 3-0-0-7, McMeans 2-0-2-6, Grosch 2-0-0-5, Suppa 2-0-0-5, Berdine 1-0-0-2, Bablak 0-0-0-0, Funari 0-0-0-0, Team 22-5-8-61

By quarters

Corry 19 10 13 24 – 66

Warren 7 13 23 18 – 61

3-point FGs: Corry (6)-Elchynski 4, Zajac, Willis. Warren (12)-Kupchella 4, Morrison 3, McMeans 2, Grosch, Ei, Suppa.