WOODWARD — Visiting Madrid used a decided height advantage, especially in the low post, to seize and early lead and slowly widen their advantage for a 58-40 win over the Woodward-Granger boys in West Central Conference basketball Friday.
The Tigers (10-6, 9-5) had scored a 64-50 win over the Hawks (2-14, 2-13) Dec. 18 by turning to 6-5 seniors Sinjin Harshbarger and Luke Hudnutt and did the same Friday. Harshbarger has 24 points and Hudnutt 19 in the first meeting and accounted for 19 and 18 points, respectively, in the rematch.
In the first meeting between the two rivals the Hawks entered the half trailing only 25-24, but were undone by an 18-8 Tiger burst in the third frame.
Friday saw no such prolonged runs. The guests leaped to an early 8-0 lead, but the margin had been trimmed to 15-10 by the end of the first frame. Madrid held a 30-18 lead at the intermission, and although W-G had two short spurts in the third period could not close to within striking range and trailed, 43-30, entering the fourth quarter.
The Tigers essentially put the game out of reach by scoring nine of the first 13 points in the period for a 52-34 lead, a gap that swelled to 58-36 with two minutes left on the clock.
Cade Kirkpatrick and Trevor Mertz had six points apiece for the guests, with Coy Kirkpatrick adding four points, Josh Henrikson three and Carson Polich two.
Nick Squires had eight points for W-G, as did Bodie Harrison, with Marcus McConahay, Brady Aunspach and Brody Easter adding six points apiece. Three points from J.P. Nixon, two from Cameron Hoyt and a free throw from Derick Morgan capped the Hawk scoring list.
W-G will host three games next week. Weather-permitting, W-G will entertain Panorama Tuesday, with Grandview Christian to visit Thursday and Earlham Friday.
