Sports
Mahr’s Free Throws Propel Marauders to Victory
By: Clark Wooley
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Junior Dillon Mahr went 1 for 9 form the free throw line in an overtime loss to Eastern last season. His free throw line heroics led the Meigs Marauders (2-0) to a 74-72 victory over the Warren Warriors (0-1).
“Everyday at practice, coach talks about how free throws win ball games,” Mahr said, “The feeling is great…it’s hard to even explain.”
With 1:17 left in the game Warren’s Chase Weihl made a layup to put the Warriors up 71-68. On the next possession Kaileb Sheets sank a deep three to tie the ball game. After a scramble for the ball on the ensuing inbound, a foul by Meigs’ Luke Musser sent Warren’s Seth Russell to the foul line where he would only make one of his two attempts, putting the Warriors up by just one. Meigs inbounded the ball where it would end up in the hands of an unlikely hero, Mahr, who after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.
Meigs began the game playing a 2-3 zone that Warren found holes in thanks to the duo of Luke Drayer and Weihl. The two found a rhythm all night as all but one of Weihl’s five field goals came off of Drayer assists. Meigs head coach Ed Fry noticed this exploitation and switched his defensive scheme to a 1-3-1 trap that gave Warren fits.
“We didn’t want them to hold the ball and dictate play,” Fry said, “We brought pressure to make them get rid of the ball and everything went pretty well.”
Four Warren players scored in double figures and as a team ended up making nine 3-pointers. Kyler Dennis led the Warriors with 21 points, and the backcourt duo of Seth Hall and Luke Drayer combined for 15 of the team’s 19 assists.
As impressive as Warren’s offensive skeptical played out, Meigs matched the Warriors in every category. Five Marauders scored in double figures of their own with Kaileb Sheets collecting a double-double in the process. He scored 20 points and dished out 11 assists. Colton Lilly and Luke Musser contributed 18 and 14 points respectively and both hit key shots during the late Marauder comeback.
Both teams return to play on Dec. 8. Meigs will look to ride this momentum into its next matchup against Wellston. Warren will look to shake off this tough loss and bounce back against Fort Frye.