Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Potter-Dix senior Zach Rotert slaps away a shot during Potter-Dix's and Leyton's first meeting earlier in January.
Leyton's Warrior Boys Basketball team has given the Coyotes a tough time this season, handing the Potter-Dix boys another defeat in the championship game of the MAC Tournament at Bridgeport High School on Saturday.
After outlasting Garden County on Friday 59-50, the Coyotes matched up with Leyton, who had defeated them on January 13 with a thrilling come-from-behind 53-48 victory in Dalton. This time, Leyton opened strong and grabbed a lead early and never looked back.
After building a 16-12 lead at the end of the first period, Leyton extended their lead to 29-20 at the half. Leyton's disciplined defense and patient offense prevented the Coyotes from scoring inside while their offense worked the ball patiently to find the open man for high-percentage short field goals.
Although the athletic Coyotes made some great plays on defense, with senior Luke Kasten and Zach Rotert providing dramatic blocks against Warriors driving the lane, Potter-Dix was unable to get into a scoring groove, launching long-distance field goal attempts that usually missed their marks. Leyton's big men matched up well against Rotert and the Kastens, keeping the Coyotes away from the inside and forcing bad shots.
The Leyton defense prevented the Coyotes from going on any significant runs in the second half, while the Warriors continued to score at a steady pace. Leyton maintained their nine-point lead through the second half, and took the victory and MAC Tournament title by a final score of 51-42.
Potter-Dix senior Luke Kasten was limited to just 16 points in the loss, while Leyton was led by senior Justin Ernest's 15 points. Potter-Dix falls to 9-and-3 with the loss.