“Really, I’m just trying to help my team,” Wotorson said about his fourth-quarter play. “If I’m feeling it, the defense might key a little more on me, which leaves my teammates a little bit more open. If I’m open, then I’m going to take the shot.”

Kane’s Brock Wensel opened the final period with a basket to put Kane up 36-28. Just inside six minutes, Wotorson would hit back-to-back shots to pull the Wolverines within four. Sheffield’s Dylan Hardwick drove to the basket following a steal, drawing a foul, where the senior would drop in both free throws to cut the lead to two. Forty-five seconds later, Wotorson would tie the game at 36. After a Dane Anderson basket to put the Wolves up by two again, Allen Eaton went to the free throw line as the result of a foul, then technical on Anderson. Eaton went four of four from the stripe, giving the Wolverines their first lead since the five-minute mark in the first quarter, 40-38.

“The kids had fight in them tonight,” said Sheffield head coach Jordan Copley. “They came out, they hustled their butts off, they did a great job of getting down the floor and doing the things I was asking them to do.”

Colby Barr, who led the Wolverines in rebounds with 10, and Wotorson both went one of two at the line over the next 30 seconds to give Sheffield a four-point lead. Inside two minutes, Kane trailed by two, when Sam Lundeen hit a 3-pointer to put the Wolves once again in the lead. Wotorson came to the rescue one last time, scoring the final four points for Sheffield and sealing the win.

Senior Dylan Hardwick looks to make a move on the Kane defense Thursday night inside Ralph J. Santo Gymnasium. Times Observer Photo by Cody Elms

“It’s another night Colby showed you what kind of heart and what kind of fire he has inside of him,” said Copley. “He played phenomenal. It’s not always about points, it’s the little things that he’s doing out there that contribute to these team wins.”

Along with leading in points, Wotorson also had six steals and a couple of rebounds. Austin Fiscus pulled down eight rebounds and made both of his free throws. Eaton was perfect from the line as well, dropping six and hitting a third-quarter 3-pointers to tally 9 points on the night.

“I think Leihden is one of the best, if not the best, basketball players on the court at any given moment,” said Copley. “I don’t care where we’re at, where we’re playing, he has the ability to take over games. As he’s grown, he’s starting to realize he has that ability and it’s starting to transition to his game now.”

Anderson led the Wolves with 15 points, followed by Lundeen and Wensel, who both had 7.

Kane will travel to Sheffield once again next Wednesday for what will be a physical rematch of the two teams separated by just 19 miles.