Miami Trace outlasts Athens to cruise to a playoff win at home
By: Craig Neal
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WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio (WOUB) – The Athens Bulldogs (7-15) traveled to Miami Trace (18-3) to take on the one-seeded Panthers in an OHSAA district quarter-final game. Athens looked to play spoiler against the Panthers, who were sitting Adam Guthrie. Miami Trace would be able to hold on, and with a huge second half, they cruised to a 64-42 win at home.
In the first quarter, both teams would start slow offensively with turnovers and missed opportunities from both teams. Collin Chapman for the Bulldogs and Gage Bowers for the Panthers would become the apparent leaders of their respective teams, with Bowers getting help from Julian Baker. Chapman would finish the game with 19 points, and Bowers would finish the game with 25 points.
With the first half in its waning moments, Athens would go on a run led by efforts from Chapman, Zach Mullins, and Wren Ballew. They would hold Miami Trace under thirty points in the first half as the Bulldogs would go into the break down 26-20.
Miami Trace would come out of the half hot after making adjustments. They would cause turnover after turnover after implementing a full-court press. The Bulldogs simply were not able to keep up with the athleticism of the Panthers. This was the point in the game where the momentum was fully in Miami Trace’s favor, with the third quarter closing out 41-31.
In the final quarter of play, it was all Miami Trace. They maintained and widened the gap, soon subbing out their starters in favor of underclassmen to close out the game. The final score was 64-42.
With this loss, the Athens Bulldogs’ season was over with a final record of 7-16.
For the Miami Trace Panthers, they will go on to play fourth seeded Marietta on Feb. 27, at the Convocation Center in Athens.