COLUMBUS
There are no such things as tune-up games during the final week of the regular season for the Seymour boys basketball team.
After a great first half, the Owls stalled in the second, digging themselves a third-quarter hole they couldn’t climb out of as the Columbus North Bulldogs pulled away for the 69-47 victory.
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Columbus North outscored the Owls 22-10 in the third quarter, kept them off the glass and turned them over five times in the stanza. The Owls didn’t grab their first shot of the period until they were three minutes in.
By then the Bulldogs were already well on their to a double-digit lead and their 17th win of the season.
The Bulldogs lit it up from behind the arc in the second half, tallying five 3-pointers, and were relentless in getting to the line where they attempted 16 of their 22 free throws for the game.
They went 15-for-22 from the free-throw line for the game while the Owls were just 9-for-12.
Seymour did their best to keep the game in single digits early on in the third quarter, but their offense went to sleep after such a great opening two periods.
Not even the injection of freshman Landon Fritsch and sophomore Andrew Levine, who have been playing more of late and have provided plenty of energy, were able to spark the Owls in the second.
Early on in the game, the Owls showed no fear in the first half against the now 17-win Bulldogs, who felt they were in for an easy game on senior night.
Columbus North rattled in the first points, but the Owls responded with seven straight prompting a Bulldog timeout.
The hosts in blue and white battled back to cut the Owl lead to just one before the Owls once again pulled away.
However, the Owls weren’t able to stay away for long as the Bulldogs tied the game for the first time since 0-0 at the 4 minute and 20 second mark before ultimately taking the lead with a buzzer-beating jumper at the end of the first half.
The opening 16 minutes by the Owls might have been the best half of basketball they’ve played all season.
Marcus Brooks led the Owls with 12 points and was the only player in purple to score in double figures.
Both Casey Regruth and Drew Vehslage netted nine while Eric McCoy dropped in seven. Landon Fritsch added five, and both Aiden Goen and Andrew Levine scored two.
In junior varsity action, the Owls fell to the Bulldogs 51-42.
Eli Meyer led the Owls with 15 points while Dylan Fields added 12. Donovyn Thomas and Aden Burnside added seven and six, respectively, while Evan Smith rounded out the scoring with two.
The homestretch doesn’t get any easier as the Owls wrap up the regular season on Friday at defending Class 3A state champion Silver Creek at 7:30 p.m. The Dragons are currently ranked No. 1 in their class.