By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
In the end all the hustle, hurt and heart just weren't enough as Parkersburg Catholic showed why it is the No. 3 Class A team in the state and one of the favorites to bring home a championship.
In a game that saw Calhoun leave everything on the floor the furious rally the Red Devils put on in the second half came up a little bit short as the Crusaders took the 73-58 victory.
Parkersburg Catholic broke open a close game in the second quarter with a bombardment of Calhoun's defenses and grabbed a 41-22 halftime lead. The Crusaders' bombardment came on tremendous shooting from long distance as Cole Cwynar and John Padden took turns from outside.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the slaughter.
It didn't happen.
Instead Calhoun came out on fire and made a game out of things.
The Red Devils scored the first five points of the quarter and cut the lead into single digits before the end of the quarter, enjoying a 21-8 advantage to make the score 49-43 heading in to the final period.
But the Crusaders, now 18-3, scored a quick baskets and got a steal and spread the court.
Yet Calhoun kept up the pressure and traded points with the Crusaders for a while. That's when Calhoun was forced to foul to stop the clock. The clock stopped but PCHS didn't miss many from the free throw line, hitting 12 of 15 attempts in the final period.
Those free throws -- which Calhoun was forced to try in an attempt to conserve the clock - allowed PCHS to push the margin to the final margin.
Calhoun, which finished the season at 10-11, was led by Zach Moore with 18 points. He also had 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal and a block in his last high school game for the Red Devils.
Kyle Keesler was next with 14 points and three assists. Chucky Kendall added 13 points while chipping in with four rebounds, two steals and an assist. Justin Gerwig had 12 points and two assists while Bronson Clark rounded out the scoring with one point.
Anthony Richards, Cai Clothier, Daniel Sims, Randy Fluharty, Brandon Sampson, Tyler Bennett and Caleb Schoolcraft all played but did not score.
Moore, Keesler, Gerwig, Kendall, Clothier, Richards, Sims, Fluharty and Sampson are all seniors and playing in their last game as a member of the Red Devils' basketball team.
Parkersburg Catholic, which plays St. Marys for the Region 1, Section 2 Class A title Friday night, was led by Cwynar with 25. Padden added 19 while Quentin Collie, Nick Fisher and Jacob Hensler all had eight.
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