Trinity Lutheran outscored Medora 41-24 in the middle quarters to break open a close game and post an 84-53 win Friday night in the Bollinger Athletic Complex.
The Hornets held a 23-20 lead following a basket by Keaton Seniours with five minutes left in the half before the Cougars went on a 15-5 run the remainder of the half for a 35-28 lead at the break.
Medora used a 3-point play by Seniours at 4:31 of the third period to close to 41-37.
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Trinity was leading 46-41 with 2:10 remaining in the third when it went on a 12-0 run to lead 58-41 going into the fourth period.
“We turned the ball over,” Hornets coach Mark Morin listed as the reason Trinity increased its lead.
Medora had 14 turnovers in the second and third periods while Trinity had only four turnovers. Medora had 22 and Trinity 11 turnovers for the night.
A.J. Goecker scored two of his game-high 29 points early in the fourth to stretch the lead to 60-41 and the Cougars continued to increase their lead to the final 31-point margin.
Morin said a turning point came in the third period when Seniours picked up his fourth foul and had to go to the bench and Medora trailed by eight points at the time.
“I had to take him out and we just did not handle that press well,” he said. “It’s a shame we got beat this bad because I thought we competed for three quarters of the game. He got a couple minutes into the fourth and fouled out, and with their pressure it just kind of snowballed on us.”
Owen Sullivan topped the Hornets with 18 points, Seniours scored 14 and Skylar Jones was high rebounder with seven.
Shoemaker added 13 and Tyler Goecker 12 for the Cougars. Rylie Bartells was high rebounder for Trinity with seven.
Trinity held a 17-15 lead at the end of the first period. Goecker nine points for the Cougars, and Sullivan had the same number for the Hornets in the opening eight minutes.
“The first quarter it was an even game,” Cougars Coach Brian Stuckwisch said. “The second quarter we picked up a little more pressure on the press and they made a few turnovers and we capitalized on them, and that was a big key.
“We talked at halftime about this wasn’t near over yet. We had to come out strong and have another good quarter and extend our lead a little further because they could get right back in the game if we didn’t.
“I think the press really hurt them in the second half, especially. I think we had more intensity on the press in the second half and that was to our advantage. We got a lot of easy layups on the fast break.”
It was senior night, as the five Trinity seniors started and combined for 56 points.
Stuckwisch said they have been a big part of the program for the past four years.
“They’re here all the time. They put four years in,” he said. “It’s a small 1A school, and they all have to play two or three sports and they’re dedicated to the school. All five of them have played all four years. They mean a lot to the whole team.”
Trinity is scheduled to host Greenwood Christian today with the freshman game starting at 4:30 p.m., followed by JV and varsity contests.
Medora’s scheduled home game with Eminence today has been postponed until Wednesday at 6 p.m.