Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

CHILLICOTHE — In a test of wills, the Fairland Dragons got more than a passing grade.

Fairland wanted to run and Hillsboro wanted to walk. The team who was able to assert its will and control the tempo figured to get the win.

The Dragons were able to get their way for the most part thanks to a strong defensive effort as they beat the Indians 51-36 Saturday to win the Division II sectional title.

The scoring was slow in the first half as Fairland took a 19-18 lead. The scoring went at a faster pace in the second half.

“The tempo was in our favor in the first half we just didn’t finish,” said Fairland coach Nathan Speed.

“Our defense was pretty good the whole game. We were finishing in the third quarter and Nathan (Campbell) shot well from the foul line.”

Fairland (17-6) plays Vinton County (18-4) at 8 p.m. Friday in the Ohio University Convocation Center.

Cody Midkiff scored 12 points and Evan Maddox had 10 points to lead the Dragons.

Jarrod Hart scored 13 points and Jordan Captain had 9 for Hillsboro.

Speed was pleased with his team’s defensive effort that limited the Indians to just three field goals in the second half. Kyle Raines — who blocked three shots — held Captain to only one point in the second half.

“He altered a lot of shots. He did a pretty good job and contested a lot of shots inside,” said Speed.

Captain scored 6 points in the first quarter to give Hillsboro a 12-11 lead. Maddox had 5 points in the stanza.

Hillsboro pulled ahead 16-11 in the second quarter but Chance Short scored 5 points including a 3-pointer to tie the game and Maddox made a layup as Fairland went up 18-16.

Nathan Campbell scored 7 points in the third quarter and Fairland outscored Hillsboro 16-8 to open up a 35-26 lead.

Midkiff scored 8 of his points in the fourth quarter as Fairland put the game away.

Hillsboro 12 6 8 10 = 36

Fairland 11 8 16 16 = 51

HILLSBORO (NA): Latrell Haitcock 2-3 0-0 0-0 4, Austin Bagshaw 0-0 0-2 3-5 3, Reese Leibreich 1-4 0-2 0-1 2, Jarrod Hart 2-6 1-2 6-8 13, Jordan Captain 3-10 0-0 3-4 9, Trey Moberly 0-0 0-0 1-2 1, Zach Young 1-7 0-0 2-2 4, Alex Branscom 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Aber 0-0 0-1 0-0 0, R.J. Collard 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Dakota Brown 0-0 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 10-37 15-22 36. 3-point goals: 1-7. Rebounds: 21. Turnovers: 18. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.

FAIRLAND (17-6): Thayer Flynn 1-2 0-1 0-0 2, Cody Midkiff 2-4 0-2 8-10 12, Jacob Warner 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Chance Short 2-3 1-3 2-4 9, Luke Phillips 1-2 0-0 0-0 2, Nathan Campbell 3-4 0-1 1-3 7, Phillip Beaty 0-0 0-1 0-0 0, Kyle Raines 2-6 1-5 3-8 10, Robert Thompson 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Warner 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Tyler Campbell 0-1 0-0 0-0 0, Matt McComas 0-0 0-0 0-0 0, Dionte Braye 2-6 0-0 0-1 4. Totals: 16-45 17-31 51. 3-point goals: 2-13. Rebounds: 35 (N. Campbell 9, Midkiff 6). Assists: 9 (Maddox 3). Steals: 7 (Raines 2, Midkiff 2). Blocked shots: 3 (Raines 3). Turnovers: 10. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.