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On this date in area sports history…
On this date, Jan. 10, 1997, the Kenton Ridge boys basketball team a school record for points in a 95-45 victory over Northwestern.
Published in the Jan. 11, 1997 edition of the Springfield News-Sun:
SOUNDS OF SUCCESS; COUGARS SET RECORD WITH 95-45 ROMP
By Chris Freeman, News-Sun Sports Editor
A myriad of sounds resonated throughout the gym at Kenton Ridge High School Friday night.
Clank! That was the sound of the visiting Northwestern boys basketball team, which made just five of 27 shots from the field in the first half.
Tweet! That was the repeated sound of the officials’ whistle, which tooted 33 times in the first half alone, including a technical foul on Kenton Ridge Coach Jeff Hobbs.
Scream! And that was the sound of the Cougar faithful as the home team broke the school record for points in a game in a 95-45 romp over Northwestern.
“That’s what I’ve been waiting for,” Hobbs said. “We finally broke loose.”
But not before some serious holding, hacking and pushing dominated the first half.
The teams combined to take 49 free throws in the first half. The Cougars, 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the Central Buckeye Conference, hit 22 of 31 from the line while Northwestern, 3-7 and 1-5, made 12 of 18. That means 34 of the 67 points scored by the two teams in the first half came with no time running off the clock.
“That kind of had us down, but we played well at the end of the (second) quarter and got through it,” KR junior Rusty Woods said.
The Cougars’ second-quarter run came after Hobbs was called for a technical foul following a series of no-calls by officials. Rob Vollrath hit four straight free throws for the Warriors to close within 28-19 with 5:52 left in the half.
“I challenged them after I made a stupid mistake,” Hobbs said. “I’ve got a veteran team and they picked up the pace for me.”
The result was a 15-5 run for Kenton Ridge to close out the half.
“We knew we had to pick up Coach Hobbs,” Woods said.
Woods picked up everyone all night long. Time and again the junior threaded the needle to find teammates open in transition or on backdoor cuts. He finished with 14 points and a game-high seven assists.
“We’ve got plenty of people on this team who can score; we need someone to open everything up for them and make scoring easier,” Woods said.
Which is exactly what the CBC’s leader in assists has done for KR all year, said Hobbs.
“He is really playing well; I told him that’s the best ballgame he’s played since he’s been on the varsity for two years,” said the coach. “He can do it all; he can shoot it, pass, defend, rebound … he’s got great vision.”
The Warriors struggled throughout the first half, making their first shot of the game but hitting just four from the field after that. They did play better in the second half, but by then the Cougars had pushed the lead past 30.
The only remaining question was whether KR could break its school record for points, which was 94 set against Northeastern in 1990.
The record came with 15 seconds left as sophomore Bill Chrisman, a junior varsity starter, hit a layup to the delight of his teammates and the home crowd.
“That’s something I hope he remembers,” Hobbs said.
Six players scored in double figures for the Cougars, led by Richard Clingman’s 16 points and 10 rebounds. Kyle Lucas scored 15, Woods had 14, Brian Smith netted 13, J.D. Dewitt had 11 and Ryan Harris scored 10.
Northwestern got 14 points and seven steals from Vollrath, who was 8 for 8 at the line, and six rebounds from Scott Metzger.
NORTHWESTERN (45) _ Fultz 1-7 0-0 2, Vollrath 2-9 8-8 14, Murphy 1-3 0-0 2, Metzger 1-4 3-6 5, McGhee 2-4 1-2 5, Denny 2-7 0-2 4, Rodman 0-0 0-1 0, Pauling 2-7 0-0 5, Shambaugh 2-6 1-3 7, McLaurin 1-4 0-0 2. Totals: 14-51 13-22 45.
KENTON RIDGE (95) _ Lucas 3-4 8-8 15, Finney 1-3 2-4 4, Clingman 6-12 4-6 16, Smith 4-5 5-7 13, Woods 5-6 2-4 14, Harris 3-7 4-6 10, LeMaster 1-2 0-0 2, Dibert 2-3 2-2 6, Dewitt 4-9 1-1 11, Baldwin 0-1 0-0 0, Chrisman 1-1 0-1 2, Dennis 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 31-55 28-39 95.
Three-point goals: Northwestern 4-20 (Shambaugh 2, Vollrath, Pauling), Kenton Ridge 5-10 (Woods 2, Dewitt 2, Lucas)
Records: Northwestern 3-7, 1-5 in CBC; Kenton Ridge 9-1, 6-0. Reserves: Kenton Ridge 52 (Baldwin 20), Northwestern 35 (Rodman, Lubbers 10)
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