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Kent, Ohio – Thanks to a stirring fourth-quarter comeback, the Saint Ignatius Wildcats defeated the Brunswick Blue Devils, 46-43, in the Kent Regional final at the M.A.C. Center Friday night.
Brunswick took the lead, 3-0, thanks to a Tommy Morgan triple at the 4:51 mark of the first quarter. Jack Zalopnik followed with one of his own thirty seconds later for Saint Ignatius.
The two teams traded baskets, as Quinn Barnett sank a pair of triples, and Damon Friery and Quinn Woidke each cashed one in. Brunswick led, 13-11, after the opening frame.
Matt Ellis gave Saint Ignatius the lead, 18-17, after a steal and a layup. Another basket increased the Wildcat lead to three. Quinn Barnett sank his third triple of the first half to knot the score. The two teams traded baskets to keep the score deadlocked at 22 going into the halftime break.
Before the third quarter officially begun, there was a technical foul on Quinn Woidke after the horn sounded to end the first quarter. This gave Brunswick a chance to take the lead with a pair of free throws. Trey Drexler sank those free throws to give the Blue Devils a 24-22 lead.
From there, the Blue Devils continued to build their momentum, taking a 36-26 lead at one point in the stanza. Five players scored in the quarter, keeping the Brunswick student section fired up.
At the end of the third quarter, Brunswick led 37-28.
However, Saint Ignatius would not go down without a fight.
The Wildcats would go on an 8-0 run to cut their deficit to 37-36. Reece Robinson scored on the inside, and Quinn Woidke split a pair of free throws.
Reece Robinson gave the Wildcats the lead, 42-41, with 1:31 remaining, giving Saint Ignatius its first lead since the second quarter. Trey Drexler answered with a basket with 1:11 to play to give the Blue Devils back the lead.
Junior forward Damon Friery drew contact in the paint and had a chance to give the Wildcats the lead with two free throws. He calmly sank both.
Brunswick had the ball with a chance to win the game. Mike Lamirand came up with a block on Trey Drexler’s three-point attempt with six seconds to play. The ball went out of bounds, with the Blue Devils still maintaining possession.
Quinn Woidke picked off the inbound pass, then raced up the court for the game-sealing layup to complete the Wildcats’ stirring comeback.
The Saint Ignatius Wildcats captured their third regional championship, and are making the trip back to Dayton for the third time in four seasons. Junior forward Damon Friery finished with 15 points. Junior guard Quinn Woidke and senior forward Reece Robinson each finished with 11.
Brunswick senior forward Quinn Barnett finished with 17 points. Senior forward Tommy Morgan and sophomore guard Trey Drexler each finished with ten for the Blue Devils.
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