×

Eagles drop Region 3 showdown with Cambridge Springs

Youngsville’s Gage Hendrickson (11) goes in for a layup against Cambridge Springs’ Jayden Shinsky (50) and Trent Wheeler (32) during the first quarter of their game at Youngsville High School, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. Hendrickson scored 20 points, but Wheeler had 21 as the Blue Devils came away with a 49-37 Region 3 win over the Eagles.

A 6-0 run to open the fourth quarter gave Cambridge Springs the lead for good in a 49-37 win at Youngsville Friday.

The Blue Devils outscored the Eagles 21-8 in the fourth quarter to turn a 1-point deficit into a victory. The loss snapped Youngsville’s 10-game winning streak and put the Eagles two games behind the Blue Devils in the Region 3 standings.

“The margin for error against a team like this is so small,” Youngsville coach Jesse DeLoof said. “I can’t fault the effort. The guys could not have played harder.”

Cambridge Springs (12-3 overall, 7-0 Region 3) got the ball to start the fourth trailing 29-28. Lance Welker scored on the opening possession, then Trent Wheeler got a bucket after a turnover. Another turnover led to Welker’s second field goal of the frame and suddenly the Blue Devils held a 34-29 lead.

“A three minute stretch was the difference,” DeLoof said.

Following a Youngsville (13-4, 6-2) timeout, Timber Bower knocked down a shot to cut the lead to 34-31 and Gage Hendrickson’s two free throws a minute later had the Eagles within one at 34-33.

The Blue Devils answered with a 9-0 run to push the advantage to 43-33. Hendrickson hit another pair of free throws with 1:11 to play to cut the lead to eight. The Eagles began fouling. Though the Blue Devils struggled from the line, the Eagles were unable to trim the lead because Cambridge Springs created second chance opportunities with offensive rebounds.

“We did well on the glass until the end,” DeLoof said. “Our goal was to hold them to under nine offensive rebounds and they finished with 10.”

Joe Mack got a bucket with 42 seconds left, but Wheeler went 1-2 from the line and Cambridge Springs kept Youngsville from taking another shot before time expired.

“This is a good team and was a good test for us,” DeLoof said. “If we play with that effort, and continue to improve, we’re going to keep playing for a while.”

The teams showed the capacity crowd at Youngsville High School, the gym was so packed condensation began dripping from the pipes, just how evenly matched they were through the first three quarters.

“The community came out to support us which is nice to see,” DeLoof said. “It helps the guys.”

Cambridge Springs jumped out to a 7-2 lead, but Youngsville battled back and tied it at 9-9 on an Ethan Kesterholt shot with 32 seconds left in the period. Wheeler’s layin with 24 seconds to go gave the Blue Devils an 11-9 advantage heading to the second.

Hendrickson tied it two minutes in to the second, but Wheeler’s free throws put Cambridge Springs back on top. Hendrickson hit another shot to tie it again on the next possession, but Nate Held answered on the other end. Hendrickson tied it again, 15-15, with 4:44 to play in the half.

This time, the Eagles defense got the stop and Hendrickson buried a 3-pointer at the other end to give Youngsville its first lead of the game with 4:15 to go in the second. Held hit the front end of a 1-and-1 to cut the lead to two, but Brady Olewine and Dominick Dell answered with consecutive baskets to put the Eagles on top, 22-16 with just over two minutes to go.

The Blue Devils had chances to trim the lead with 1-and-1 opportunities, but missed the front end both times. The Eagles were unable to take advantage of the misses and stretch the lead and Jared Taylor hit a three to cut Youngsville’s halftime advantage to 22-19.

“We had a few threes rim out,” DeLoof said.

Wheeler put in the first points of the second half, but Youngsville answered with a 5-0 run to push the lead to 27-21 with 4:23 to play in the third. The Blue Devils answered with a 7-0 run of their own to take a 29-28 lead, but Mack’s steal and layup with 1:25 to go gave the Eagles the 29-28 lead they took into the fourth.

“They’ve got length, but we had our advantages too,” DeLoof said. “I think we get out in transition as well as anybody.”

While the Eagles missed some shots, the Blue Devils also had at least a dozen blocked shots, most coming in the paint.

“We can’t quit attacking the rim (because of the blocks),” DeLoof said.

Wheeler finished with a game-high 21 points. Held and Matt Andrews finished with seven each.

Hendrickson led the Eagles with 20 points, while Bower added seven.

Youngsville will have the weekend plus a day before hitting the road for a Region 3 contest at Maplewood Tuesday.

“We just have to regroup and get ready for Maplewood,” DeLoof said. “We want to be playing our best basketball come Feb. 15, and we’re on track to do that.”

Cambridge Springs won the junior varsity contest, 61-47.

Held had 29 points to lead the Blue Devils and Hunter Spaid added 13 in the win.

Dell had 17 to lead the Eagles with Xavier Mowrey chipping in 16 in the loss.

——

Cambridge Springs (49)

Andrews 1-4-6-7, Welker 2-2-3-6, Taylor 1-0-2-3, Wheeler 8-5-7-21, Shinsky 1-0-0-2, Luktisch 1-0-0-3, Held 3-1-2-7, Kingley 0-0-0-0, Leandro 0-0-0-0, Total 17-12-20-49

Youngsville (37)

Hendrickson 6-7-8-20, Bower 2-2-4-7, Mack 2-0-0-4, Olewine 1-0-0-2, Kesterholt 1-0-0-2, Dell 1-0-0-2, Proctor 0-0-0-0, Peterson 0-0-0-0, Total 13-9-12-37

By Quarters

Cambridge Springs 11 8 9 21 – 49

Youngsville 9 13 7 8 – 37

3-point FGs: Cambridge Springs (3)-Andrews, Taylor, Luktisch. Youngsville (2)-Hendrickson, Bower.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today