LH rolls past Waynesburg in opener
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg Central’s Darton McIntire (10) sails through the Laurel Highlands defense and finds the hoop for two Friday during the opening of the FCCA Tip-Off Tournament at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Waynesburg Cerntal's Avery McConville (23) tries to block Laurel Highlands' Greg Lancaster from shooting the ball during their game Friday in the FCCA Tip-Off Tournament at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Laurel Highlands' Hudson Novak (24) goes to the hoop on a break-away in the first period of their game against Waynesburg Central in the opening round of the FCCA Tip-Off Tournament Friday at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Waynesburg Central's Jimmy Straight (20) puts the ball up for two during the opening game of the FCCA Tip-Off Tournament against Laurel Highlands Friday at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
With pressure from Waynesburg Central's Darton McIntire (10), Laurel Highlands' David Runco (3) goes to the basket for two during the FCCA Tip-Off Tournament Friday at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Laurel Highlands' Bryce Laskey (1) hits a free throw and led the Mustangs in scoring with 27 points during the game against Waynesburg Central during the FCCA Tip-Off Tournament Friday at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus.
Laurel Highlands was in mid-season form Friday in its season opening 91-45 win over Waynesburg Central.
Bryce Laskey led the way for LH with 27 points, while Hudson Novak added 21, Will Deichert 14 and Elijah Guynn 12 as LH came out of the gates with a 27-4 first quarter scoring edge and never looked back.
Darton McIntire, the defending WPIAL scoring champ, picked up right where he left off by scoring 27. He averaged 26.9 last season.
The game was part of the FCCA Tip-Off Tournament at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. In fact, it was the first game of the winter sports season.
“I thought we did a lot of the things that we’ve been working on pretty well,” LH coach Rick Hauger said. “We’re not a strong physical team, so we have to move the ball around well and we did that very well tonight.
“Bryce, Hudson and Will had a very good game offensively and David Runco and Eijah did a good job defensively for us tonight.”
Runco, in particular, drew guarding McIntire as his chief assignment and “David did a really good job on him. Darton is a very potent offensive threat and an overall good player,” Hauger said. “But David held him in check very well when the outcome was in doubt.”
McIntire scored 17 pf his 27 in the second quarter after LH opened with a 27-4 first quarter.
“Elijah did a good job on the boards and he got himself in good positions defensively and I’m real proud of him for that,” Hauger said. “Overall, it was a really good first game. We even got some guys that we have to develop depth with involved in the game, so it was good all around.”
You may thing the exact opposite might be true for Waynesburg Central, but coach Kirk King would disagree with you.
“Obviously, it’s not the result we wanted, but we needed the work,” King said. “I’m glad we got this game on the schedule. LH is a very good opponent, they are well coached, a senior-laden team and they are a very disciplined team. This was very good for us. It makes us have to work.”
But this was LH’s night to shine and the Mustangs didn’t waste any time getting started.
Laskey scored 10 of LH’s first 12 and he and Novak scored LH’s first 15. The Mustangs scored the game’s first 14 points before McIntire connected on a pair of free throws with 4:49 left and scored again to make it 18-4 before LH scored the last nine of the quarter.
The Raiders came to life in the second and outscored LH, 29-28, but it was too little too late and LH led at the break, 55-33. The Mustangs outscored Waynesburg, 31-8 in the third and led, 86-41 heading into the mercy-ruled fourth quarter.
FCCA Tip-Off Tournament
At PS Fayette, The Eberly Campus
Waynesburg Central 4-29- 8- 4 — 45
Laurel Highlands 27-28-31-5 — 91
Waynesburg Central: Darton McIntire 27. Laurel Highlands: Bryce Laskey 27, Hudson Novak 21, Will Deichert 14, Elijah Guynn 12. Records: Waynesburg Central (0-1), Laurel Highlands (1-0).