By Ron Johnston
The Marietta Times
Fort Frye has back-to-back boys' basketball games this weekend, and needs to take care of Pioneer Valley Conference business against visiting Monroe Central at 7:30 p.m. Friday before focusing on arch-rival and non-league foe Waterford on Saturday night.
Meanwhile, the Tom Simms-coached Wildcats (8-5), who defeated visiting Miller 57-53 in overtime on Tuesday night, are hoping the Seminoles can wear down the Dan Liedtke-led Cadets a little bit.
Rest or no rest, though, Fort Frye and Waterford both should be pumped and rearing to go when the two schools face off on the hardwood in Beverly.
About a month ago, Waterford won the first Saturday night meeting, edging the Cadets 45-43 at the Waterford Elementary School gym. Tate Lang sparked the offense with a game-high 18 points and nine rebounds. Brian Moore added 11 markers, and Austin Shriver had eight.
Shon Smith and Zach Eddy each had 12 points to lead the Cadets.
At the time, the Wildcat victory was their second in a row, and since then the green and white have notched six more wins. Not bad since tipping off the season 0-5.
Against Miller, Lang scored 22 points, and Austin Hilverding and Shriver had 11 and and 10, respectively.
Fort (11-3) is coming off a 54-34 triumph over Caldwell on Tuesday night.
Liedtke, of course, is hoping his cagers aren't looking ahead to Saturday night, because the Cadets will definitely be seeking payback vs. Waterford.
Fort Frye is expected to start Chandler Lang, Derek Spindler, Kyle Schwendeman, Smith, and Eddy.
Waterford will probably counter with Matt West, Austin Hilverding, Tate Lang, Moore, and Shriver.
Dover at Marietta
When the Marietta High boys' basketball team played at Dover in an East Central Ohio League meeting in December, it was a relatively low scoring affair.
As it turned out, Justin Futrell's 10-foot baseline jumper with 3.6 second remaining in the game enabled the J.D. Secrest-coached Tigers to pull out a 37-36 win. Eli Lenington, with 11 points. was the only orange and black cager to score in double digits.
Dover had no player in double figures.
At 7:30 p.m. this Friday, MHS (7-8) is scheduled to host the Bob Von Kaenel-led Tornadoes (10-6, 5-5) in Round 2 at Sutton Gym. And, it could be another close, under-40-points-each-side game.
When Dover entertained Cambridge last Friday, it limited the visitors to four single-digit quarter and won 37-23.
On Tuesday, the Tornadoes lost to Coshocton 53-46.
Marietta is coming off a 66-62 setback at Cambridge (8-7) Tuesday evening. MHS never recovered after the Bobcats opened up the fourth quarter with 11 unanswered points. The Tigers did rally late, hitting six threes, including three by Jordan Satterfield, who finished with 14 points.
Tim Grosel tallied a team-high 19 points.
MHS is expected to start Tim Grosel, Nathan Williams, Braden Riley, Lenington and Futrell, while Dover may counter with Jared Alexander, Jordan Ravine, Derik Swinderman, Demetrius Farmer, and Mason Mamarella, the team's leading scorer.
Farmer, a 6-foot-1 junior, grabbed 16 rebounds in the Cambridge game.
Logan at Warren
After a non-conference battle at New Lexington Tuesday, No. 8-ranked Warren (12-2) returns home for a Southeastern Ohio Athletic League game against Logan at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
The Blane Maddox-coached Warriors had little trouble with the Chieftains in December, claiming a 70-47 triumph at Jim Myers Gymnasium. Josh Windland paced the royal blue and white with a game-high 20 points, six rebounds and two assists. Jeremy Hastie chipped in with 14 points, Tyler Ward had 10, and Jace Knost netted nine.
Warren's Evan French, the fifth starter, only had four points, but is very capable of a big game (40 points against Chillicothe.
Logan was led by Josh Mutzner and Luke Miller, who tallied 12 and 10 markers, respectively. Tristan Myers added eight. Against New Lexington, Warren claimed a 72-47 decision.
