Boys Basketball: Airport holds off party crashers on Jet Pride night

CARLETON − Milan threatened to play spoiler.

The Big Reds made a strong push to crash Jet Pride night Friday night, but Airport pulled away in the second half to win 58-42.

Milan was 6-for-11 shooting from 3-point range in the first half and trailed Airport by just 2 points at the break. The Jets responded defensively to earn the win.

"At the half, we made some defensive adjustments and junior Brett Moore stepped up the defensive pressure on Milan's (Tyler) Denham, who knocked down three of the six 3s in the first half," said Airport coach Jason Ruhlig after watching his team improve to 7-9. "... We had our most balanced game of the season with eight who played contributing on grabbing boards and in the scoring column."

Moore also contributed on offense with 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Brandon McComas added 15 points.

Denham and Kyle Ballard scored 9 points apiece to lead Milan (3-11).

Airport won the junior varsity game 66-49. Lance Choike (17 points), Tyler Furman (13), Aidyn Stahr (13), and Bryce Kull (10) led the Jets.

For Jet Pride night, Airport recognized 10 youth teams ranging from first to eighth grade.

AIRPORT: Nowak 2 (1) 3-4 8, Westaway 3 0-0 6, Harvell 3 1-2 7, Moore 5 (3) 0-0 13, McComas 5 (3) 2-2 15, Nye 0 4-8 4, Langton 0 2-2 2, Ruhlig 0 3-4 3. Totals 18 (7) 15-22 58.

MILAN: Ballard 3 (3) 0-0 9, Denham 3 (3) 0-0 9, Raasch 3 2-6 8, Ballard 3 (1) 0-0 7, Beck 2 1-2 5, Walline 1 0-0 2, Dessellier 0 2-2 2. Totals 15 (7) 5-10 42.

Jefferson 60, New Boston Huron 58

Jefferson led at halftime. New Boston Huron went ahead after three quarters.

The Bears survived in the end after outscoring Huron 18-15 in the fourth.

"We played hard in an emotional game tonight," said Jefferson coach Corey Wiley, whose team has won two in a row to improve to 6-9.

Myles Tackett led Jefferson with 17 points, Ben Merkel scored 12, and Eastin Kegley and Trey Oldenburg added 9 apiece.

Huron (5-8) was led by Kyle Kantola with 23 points. Jacob Handyside added 10.

Huron also took the JV game 54=41.

JEFFERSON: Tackett 7 3-7 17, Gelso 2 (1) 0-0 5, Swann 1 (1) 0-0 3, Kegley 1 7-8 9, Merkel 8(1) 0-0 17, Oldenburg 3 (3) 0-0 9. Totals 22 (6) 10-15 60.

NEW BOSTON HURON: Farrugia 2 3-4 7, Handyside 2 6-8 10, Morse 1 1-2 3, Kantola 8 (3) 4-9 23, Moczydlowski 2 0-1 4, Grant 0 0-4 0, Woolery 1 3-3 5, Martin 2 (1) 1-4 6. Totals 18 (4) 18-25 58.

Erie Mason 54, Sand Creek 32

SAND CREEK − Erie Mason struggled to score in the opening quarter but a 28-4 run in the second opened it up for the Eagles to run away with the win.

"The second half was a great opportunity for the entire Eagle squad to get significant playing time," Mason coach Kevin Skaggs said.

Alex Langenderfer set the pace with 22 points 7 rebounds, 6 steals, and 4 assists. Carson Brown added 11 points and 4 steals in his first significant action since his ankle sprain.

Mason improved to 10-4 overall and 8-0 in the Lenawee County Athletic Association.

ERIE MASON: Langenderfer 7 (3) 5-5 22, Carson Brown 4 (2) 1-2 11, Casey Brown 2 (2) 0-0 6, Wise 1 (1) 0-0 3, K. Herrera 0 1-2 1, Iocoangeli 3 (1) 0-0 7, Albright 1 0-0 2, Knopp 1 0-0 2. Totals 19 (9) 7-9 54.

SAND CREEK: Opel 8 3-4 18, Gartee 2 0-0 4, Walsh 2 0-0 4, Bramen 0 0-1 0, Eack 3 0-0 6. Totals 13 3-5 32.

Whiteford 66, Britton Deerfield 52

OTTAWA LAKE − Britton Deerfield held a double-digit lead at halftime, but Whiteford roared back in the second half to pick up the win.

Both teams shot 4-for-16 from three point range, but the Bobcats had a better overall shooting percentage. Whiteford outscored Britton Deerfield 46-23 in the after the intermission.

Evan Parker scored a career-high 31 points and Luke Rasor added 18 for Whiteford (10-5).

WHITEFORD: Joerin 1 0-1 2, Ruddy 3 2-2 8, Parker 13 (3) 2-2 31, DeBarr 3 (1) 0-1 7, Rasor 8 2-4 18. Totals 28 (4) 6-10 66.

BRITTON DEERFIELD: McRobert 6 0-1 12, Johnson 2 0-0 4, L. Shiels 6 (2) 5-5 19, Colin Johnson 3 (1) 3-4 10, House 1 0-0 2, B. Shiels 0 2-2 2, Bush 1 (1) 0-0 3. Totals 19(4) 10-12 52.

Lincoln 74, Monroe 62

A 4-point second quarter was too much to overcome for Monroe, which lost its third straight game to fall to 3-11.

Monroe won each of the other three quarters.

"Lincoln's pressure got to us in the second quarter a little bit," Monroe coach Larry Middleton said. "But our guys kept fighting and cut it to single digits in the fourth, but then we ran out of gas."

Logan Frank (21 points) and Kellen Roberts (19) both hit career highs for Monroe.

YPSILANTI LINCOLN: Dorsey 3 (2) 1-1 9, Davis 3 6-8 12, Ali 5 (3) 2-3 15, Williams 1 2-2 4, Jones 6 1-3 13, White 4 2-2 10, Tawakkul 1 (1) 2-2 5, Greene 1 2-2 4, Richey 1 0-0 2. Totals 25 (6) 18-23 74.

MONROE: Sczsnsy 4 0-1 8, Johnson 3 0-5 6, Roberts 8 (2) 1-1 19, Frank 8(2) 3-5 21, Rzepa 2 (2) 0-0 6, Sweat 0 2-2 2. Totals 25 (6) 6-14 62.

Morenci 67, Summerfield 62

MORENCI – Landon Mansfield took over in the second half to give Morenci a push ahead of Summerfield Friday night.

Morenci trailed 25-26 at halftime, tied the score 50-50 after three quarters, and won the final period 17-12. Mansfield scored 21 of his game-high 29 points in the second half.

"We let him (Mansfield) have the hot hand," Summerfield coach Phil Schiffler said. "The scouting report said he is a phenomenal shooter and we didn’t honor the scout. Hats off to him for making five 3s, three of which right away in the third quarter.

"Once again we have to learn how to win a close game."

Teddy Gault led Summerfield with 21 points, Branden Myshock scored 14, and Tyler Dafoe added 12. The Bulldogs have dropped four in a row to fall to 7-8.

Summerfield won the JV game 37-32.

MORENCI: Alcock 3 5-6 11, Zimbakor 5 (1) 5-9 16, Shoemaker 1 0-0 2, Mansfield 11 (5) 2-2 29, Bachelder 4 1-2 9. Totals 24 (6) 13-19 67.

SUMMERFIELD: LaRocca 1 3-4 5, Gault 9 (2) 1-2 21, Kalb 2 1-2 5, St. John 2 (1) 0-0 5, Dafoe 4 (2) 2-4 12, Myshock 7 0-0 14. Totals 25 (5) 7-12 62.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Boys Basketball: Airport holds off party crashers on Jet Pride night