SaberCats come out on top in cross-town rival game
Calvin Marley sinks two free throws in cross-town rival game vs Poudre HS. Photo Credit: Emily Brey
January 13, 2018
On Friday, January 12, the Fossil Ridge boys basketball team played cross-town rival Poudre High School. After being worked in the first quarter, trailing the Impalas by (7 pts) in the first two minutes of play, the boys were able to make a huge comeback, and take the lead by the fourth quarter and earn a huge (67-59) win.
Junior Holdyn Kawcak, got the Cats (4 pts) in the first quarter as possession went back and forth between the two teams. Kawcak was the SaberCats go-to player in the first, as he held his own underneath the Impala basket. His physical play and willingness to drive to the hoop rattled the Poudre defense. However, with nearly one minute left in the first, Fossil was still down, (11-8).
In the last few seconds of the first quarter, senior Sam Osius followed up on a big play from Poudre, and drained a (3 pt) shot to make the score 14-11.
Garrett Ripsam, senior and four year veteran of the Fossil basketball program, was a key player in the teams’ win last night. Having completed a handful of (3 pt) shots, and 83% of his free throws last night, Ripsam lead the team and brought the energy and intensity that Head Coach Matt Johannsen expects from the boys.
With 5:41 left in the second quarter, Ripsam hit a (3 pt) shot, followed by another completed (3 pt) shot from Dylan Ellis. The Cats were still behind (18-21) with 5:17 remaining in the half.
Drew Cornmesser subbed into the game and put away a layup in the last few minutes of the half, shortening the Impala’s lead by only (3 pts), (20-23).
Ripsam found himself on the free throw line two more times before the end of the quarter, but by the time halftime came around, the SaberCats were still behind (26-31).
In an interview Ripsam commented, “Our coach said that he loved the effort that we were giving but wanted us to be more tough mentally so that we could stop them from getting easy shots in the second half. I thought we did very well overall because we believed in ourselves and never stopped fighting, we wanted the win.”
In the third quarter, the ball went back and forth between the teams evenly. The Cats came out of the locker room focused and ready to go, knowing that they were going to have to execute their plays correctly, catch the Impalas on counter attacks, and create in the Poudre paint with fast-paced combination play to take control of the game.
Kawcak racked up (2 pts) early, and Ripsam, soon afterward, answered to a Poudre score by draining another (3 pt) shot. With 4:03 left in the third, Fossil was only down by one basket, (37-35), and they needed something special to happen.
Within the next minute of play, senior Dylan Whittall was subbed into the game, and after not seeing much of the court thus far this season, he secured (2 pts) for Fossil, and then sunk a huge (3 pt) shot to make it a one point game by the end of the quarter. The Cats were down (39-40) going into the fourth quarter of play. Whittall was that something special that the Cats needed.
With that momentum from Whittall’s success, the boys really turned up their intensity. Brandon Lambrecht tied the game up, (42-42) with a free throw, and Cornmesser gave Fossil their first lead of the game (44-42).
As the SaberCats took the lead, the students, parents, and fans went nuts. And to add onto that excitement, Ripsam drained another big (3 pt) shot to push them ahead (47-42).
Poudre began to foul every chance they got to slow down the clock. Calvin Marley stepped up to the free throw line after being fouled on a drive to the hoop, and put away his two shots making it a (7 pt) game. Marley was fouled again shortly after, while ball handling his way through two Impala defenders, and completed one of his free throws; the score was (52-42) in favor of Fossil Ridge with three minutes remaining.
In the final minutes of play, Fossil got creative in their attacking zone, and Whittall racked up another (4 pts) following Lambrecht’s (2 pts) from the line.
Cornmesser was fouled with about 21 seconds left on the clock and increased the Cat’s lead by (3 pts) from the line, making the score (65-56). In the end Fossil was able to take down a very skilled Poudre team, with a (67-59) win.
After the game Marley commented, “Those are the kind of games high school athletes live for. We practice everyday with all we have just so that we can be ready to times like that. I had no doubt in my mind that we were mentally and physically tougher than them, and we would come out on top. It is truly an amazing feeling to have a team wide mutual belief in each other. Guys stepped up when they needed to, and I am glad that our Fossil Ridge community got to see what I get to see everyday in practice.”
Congrats to the team, and good luck next week! On Tuesday, January 16, the boys will take on cross-town rival Rocky Mountain at 7:00 P.M. at Rocky Mountain High School.
