Senecas pounce on Panthers

Calvert's Carter Wolph and Gavin Wagner combined for 40 points to outscore Sandusky St. Mary by themselves. The rest of the Senecas chipped-in too as they rolled the Panthers, 59-36, in Sandusky Bay Conference River Division play."They're two really good athletes that finish well on their own and play well off of each other, and they do everything we ask of them" Calvert coach Jon Otterbacher said about Wolph and Wagner.Calvert (15-3, 12-2 SBC) never trailed as they won the tip-off, and Wagner passed it to Wolph for an easy inside bucket.Wolph and the Senecas scored on their following two possessions as well; assisted by Logan DeMoss and Wagner on the plays respectively.St. Mary's sophomore Cayden Wikel sank a floater in the lane to get his team on the scoreboard.However, Calvert rattled off a 9-0 run over the next 4:30 of gameplay.Calvert scored on three straight possessions as Wolph made two free throws, sophomore Grady Otterbacher hit a three from the right corner, and Wolph scored in the paint.A couple minutes later, Wagner sank two foul shots to end the run. The Panthers' Bryan Gibson made a three-pointer to end the scoring in the first quarter with Calvert leading 15-5.The Senecas opened the second quarter on a warpath as they scored 11 straight points before SMCC (5-10, 5-8) could respond.Wolph converted two shots from the charity stripe and an inside bank shot to start the run off for the Senecas. Logan Ritzler nailed a three from the right corner after that to push the lead to 22-5.Calvert's Wagner followed that up with a put-back off an offensive board, and Otterbacher dribble-penetrated for a right-handed layup before the Panthers' Gabe Burch hit a midrange jumper to try to put a stop to the run.That's when the Senecas scored on three straight possessions again with Wagner using a spin move in the post to get a basket, Wagner again scoring inside, and then Ritzler dropping a three out on the left wing.SMCC's Burch and Jacob Harrison, made a free throw and scored on a bucket in the lane respectively to go into halftime with the score 33-10 in favor of Calvert.The Panthers would come out of the halftime break swinging though.After Wolph scored inside again, St. Mary's sophomore Leo Will knocked down a three from the right wing.When the Senecas' Wagner made a free throw at the line, Brayden Gill scored on a putback for the Navy & Gold.The Panthers' Wikel hit a three at the top of the arc followed by a Leo Will bunny shot in the lane got their team within 17 points of Calvert.Wolph again was able to score in the paint, but then St. Mary's Gill sank a free throw.Wagner's bank shot down low for the Senecas was offset by a couple foul shots by Gill and a put back by Burch. After three quarters: Calvert 41, SMCC 25.The Senecas turned it up a notch by scoring on their first four times on offense in the final period. John Schumacher's midrange jumper got the series started while Otterbacher decided to make a midrange jumper of his own.Wagner and Wolph scored two points each in the paint on the final two tries. That's when St. Mary's Gibson swished a trey from the right wing then Gill grabbed a defensive rebound and was fouled at the other end; sinking both free throws.Then, Calvert's Wagner scored while being fouled only to miss ensuing foul shot. The Panthers' Wikel made a short jumper and a layup to make the score 52-34.The Senecas' Wolph, again stepping up and converted an and-one opportunity.SMCC's Harrison made a nice put-back off the glass before Calvert sophomore Gabe Badik scored on back-to-back possessions to round out the scoring in the contest."I thought we did a really good job of setting a tone early and coming out and knowing the type of zone that St. Mary's was going to run," Coach Otterbacher said.Wolph finished with 21 points, while Wagner added 19.St. Mary's Wikel led his team with nine points.