02-19-08
BY JACK BULLOCK
WOODLAWN - Getting by your closest rival five times in one season is a tough chore no matter what the level of sports.

The Odin Eagles found that out on Tuesday night in the first round of the Woodlawn Class 1A Regional.

Having beaten fellow Marion County school Sandoval on four previous occasions in lopsided fashion - the Eagles were nearly toppled by the Blackhawks.

It took a defensive stand in the third quarter which turned into a 15-0 scoring blitz that gave the momentum to Coach Mike Finckbone's club.

Led by Tyler Parrish with 24-points and 15 from Todd Murray the Eagles survived the scare to reach the semifinal round with a 58-47 win.

Odin improved its record to 15-11 on the season with the "come-from-behind " victory.

Parrish – a 6-foot sophomore guard – helped ignite the rally with a pair of 3-pointers.

Kelan Rains began the run with a wide-open 3-pointer from the top of the circle to cut Sandoval's lead to 32-29 with 3:43 left in the third quarter.

Twelve more points including two trifecta's by Parrish and a Murray bucket in the paint pushed the Eagles to the front of the line.

When Parrish hit his final shot of the run – Odin led 41-32 with :34 left in the third frame.

John Briones – Odin's 6-foot-4 senior forward – closed the lid on the Blackhawks season when he converted a 3-point play with 5:28 remaining.

His made free throw pushed the Eagles ahead 51-38.

Sandoval trailed 58-41 when Coach Finckbone emptied his bench.

The Blackhawks scored six “window dressing” points to close the final margin to just 11.

The winless Sandoval club (0-25) was paced by Justin Boatright with 15 points while Jason Carroll added 11.

The Eagles survived another bad shooting performance as they head to a rematch with host Woodlawn – who throttled Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran in the first game of the evening.

Odin topped the visiting Cardinals, 55-48, back on January 8.

Coach Finckbone's club launched enough shots for two contests on Tuesday night.

Unfortunately they didn't make nearly enough to make the final score more impressive.

Odin was just 19-of-73 from the floor – missing exactly 27 2-point attempts and 27 3-point attempts.

A 5-for-32 mark from behind the arc won't win a team many games but it was good enough to get past Sandoval in the opening round.

Odin outrebounded Sandoval 39-34 while committing just 13 turnovers.

“For us to be successful we have to shoot the ball better than that. I don't know what we shot tonight but it wasn't pretty,” said Finckbone. “We lived another day and that is what matters. I hope we bounce back tomorrow.”

Sandoval had a few bright spots with Boatright and Carroll leading the way.

Defensively the Blackhawks had a hand in the Odin poor offensive showing and they managed to cling to the Eagles for nearly three full quarters before falling short.

Coach Mitchell North can point to 24 turnovers – including eight miscues in the third quarter.

Four consecutive possessions the Blackhawks had the ball stolen from them during that Odin scoring spree that turned the game in the Eagles favor.

“We showed a lot of heart and we gave them (Odin) more than they thought that they were going to get tonight,” said North. “We took our lumps this year but we didn't have one kid quit this season and all of them are underclassmen and will be back next season for us.”

Sandoval (47) - Holstlaw 2 0 1-2 5, Jezek 1 0 2-6 4, Ju. Boatright 5 1 2-2 15, Quick 0 0 0-0 0, Drenkpohl 1 0 0-0 2, Marcketti 1 0 2-4 4, Guern 1 0 0-0 2, Jo. Boatright 0 0 0-0 0, Carroll 4 0 3-4 11, Hopkins 2 0 0-0 4.
2FG-17, 3FG-1, FT-10-18, PF-19.
Odin (58) - Parrish 3 4 6-8 24, Spitler 1 0 0-0 2, Murray 7 0 1-2 15, Rains 0 1 2-2 5, Mathews 0 0 0-0 0, Briones 3 0 2-5 8, Cluck 0 0 4-7 4, Tate 0 0 0-0 0, Minor 0 0 0-0 0, Shaffer 0 0 0-0 0, Burton 0 0 0-0 0, Keller 0 0 0-0 0, Lyday 0 0 0-0 0, Worlds 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-14, 3FG-5, FT-15-24, PF-15.
Fouled Out - Guern - Sandoval.
Technical Fouls - None.

WOODLAWN 82, CENTRALIA CHRIST OUR ROCK LUTHERAN 33
It didn't take long for the Cardinals roar past the Silver Stallions in the first game of the session.

Coach Shane Witzel used everyone but the cheerleaders in this win with 12 Redbirds inking the book led by 16 points from Casey Hammond and 10 points from Ethan Shurtz.

Woodlawn (18-11) was paced by Bronson Verhines and Kyle Boldt who added eight points each.

Reserves Josh Wiggs and Luke Simmons added seven points apiece.

Jared Klein topped CORL with 14 points.

Christ Our Rock Lutheran (33) - Jared Klein 3 2 2-4 14, Gross 1 0 0-0 2, Jamie Klein 2 0 2-2 6, Ramsour 1 0 0-0 2, Allison 0 0 0-0 0, Finley 1 0 0-2 2, Mueller 0 0 0-0 0, Ramirez 0 0 0-0 0, Holm 0 0 0-0 0, Watkins 1 0 0-0 2, Lape 0 1 2-2 5, Hanenberger 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-9, 3FG-3, FT-6-10, PF-9.
Woodlawn (58) - B. Verhines 4 0 0-0 8, Green 0 1 2-2 5, Shurtz 5 0 0-0 10, Boldt 4 0 0-1 8, Hart 3 0 0-0 6, Hammond 6 1 1-2 16, Simmons 2 1 0-0 7, D. Verhines 1 0 2-2 4, Wiggs 2 0 3-4 7, Gaither 2 0 0-0 4, Williams 0 1 0-0 3, Wehrheim 0 0 0-0 0, Hails 2 0 0-2 4.
2FG-31, 3FG-4, FT-8-13, PF-10.
Fouled Out - None.
Technical Fouls - None.