Times Observer photo by Steve Younger Eisenhower’s Liam Hanson makes a pass during Wednesday’s nonregion boys basketball game in Meadville.

MEADVILLE — The Eisenhower Knights traveled to Meadville on Wednesday night and suffered their first loss of the season, 58-51 to the Bulldogs in nonregion play.

Both teams got off to a blistering start as the Knights saw Rylan Benton, Kymani Vine and Paul Mandeville drain 3-pointers in the first quarter. Benton would add another field goal, but the Bulldogs’ Braelyn Lockett would score 8 points himself as Meadville led 14-11 after a quarter.

The Bulldogs would get a field goal and an add a free throw from Lockett to start the second quarter, but Gavin Lindemuth and Benton hit 3-pointers — the knights would finish with seven in the game — and Gavin Reynolds was fouled on his 3-point attempt before making all three of his foul shots to pace the Knights.

With the lead going back and forth, Lindemuth would make one of his two free throws with 1:19 remaining to tie the game at 25-25. Meadville’s Jhy Moffett hit a deep 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Bulldogs a 28-25 lead at the break.

Meadville would outscore Eisenhower 22-13 in the third quarter to build a 50-38 lead heading into the final quarter as the Knights’ shooting grew cold.

Eisenhower’s defense created multiple turnovers in the fourth quarter and held Meadville to just 7 points over the final eight minutes of play, but the Knights could get no closer than six.

“It was the first road game of the year and the guys learned they had to come out ready to play,” Eisenhower head coach Ryan Mangini said. “We let them dictate the game in the first five to six minutes of the game and that was the difference.”

The Knights were led by Benton, who finished with 15 points, and freshman Liam Hanson chipped in 9 points. Meadville’s Lockett led all scorers with 23 points.

Eisenhower returns home Friday when General McLane visits for a nonregion contest.

In jayvee action, the Bulldogs defeated the Knights 54-35. Eisenhower was led by Paul Mandeville’s 15 points.

EISENHOWER (51)

Reynolds 1 3 5, Vine 3 0 7, Haight 0 0 0, Guiher 1 0 2, Benton 5 1 15, LHanson 4 1 9, Lindemuth 2 2 8, WMandeville 0 0 0, PMandeville 2 0 5. Totals 18 7 51.

MEADVILLE (58)

Moffett 1 1 4, Foster 3 0 6, Arnold 4 1 9, Mitchell 1 0 3, Butler 6 0 13, Mascitti 0 0 0, Lockett 10 3 23. Totals 25 5 58.

3-point goals–Vine, Benton 4, Lindemuth 2, PMandeville, Moffett, Mitchell, Butler.

Eisenhower 11 14 13 13 — 51

Meadville 14 14 22 8 — 58