By Gaylen Duskey
realfang@citlink.net
Wirt County only hit 12 of its 24 fourth quarter free throw attempts but it was enough to hold off hard-charging Calhoun 57-50 Thursday night at Mount Zion. The Tigers, 1-1, did not have a field goal in the fourth period and only four in the entire second half.
The Tigers took a 31-23 halftime lead, pushed it out to double figures on a couple of occasions in the third period, and had it trimmed to three points in the fourth.
But the Tigers advantage at the free throw line where they hit 24 of 45 was enough to withstand the Red Devils' rally attempt, especially after Tyler Sims and Sam Brady fouled out.
Sims scored 15 points before fouling out early in the fourth quarter for the Red Devils, 1-1.
Sims was the only Red Devils to score in double figures. He was backed by William Baker with eight and Zack Yanero with seven. Tyler Gerwig chipped in with six while Dylan Heiney and Ethyn Miller had four apiece, Brady three, Lucas Wilson two and Luke Sheldon one. Austin Gribble and Dakota Jarvis both played but did not score.
Hunter McCoy had a game-high 18 for the Tigers while Luke Smith and Triston Nichols added 15 each. Kyle Windland had six while Austin Young and Ricky Conley had two apiece and Aaron Peterman one.
Wirt won the junior varsity game by a 37-23 margin.
Ben Fredrick led the 0-2 Red Devils with six while David Washington added five. Yanero and Gribble had three apiece, Caden Hicks and Ross Vineyard had two each and Jarvis and Sonny Wilson had one point. Case Carter, Chris Kirkland, Kaleb Nichols, Jaron Hall and Noah Allen all played but did not score.
Wirt, 1-1, was led by Trace Copen with a game high 13. Peterman added five while Logan Kerby, Jason Ellison and Ethan Fleak had four each.
Josh Ellison had three and Larry Rood and Trenton Burdette two each.
Calhoun will try to get back on the winning track next Tuesday night when it travels to Roane County.
| 
