Osgood Journal Sports
March 17, 2009

Jac-Cen-Del Eagle mania - Taking the Orange to the Hardwood

Gary Franklin, Sports Writer

Another chapter in JCD boys varsity basketball history was etched in stone this past Saturday, March 14, in the 2009 IHSAA Class 1A Regional playoffs held at Martinsville High School.
The mighty Eagles entered their first test at noon, against the Clay City Eels, following the Regional opener between the Bethesda Christian Patriots and the Waldron Mohawks.
Patriots vs Mohawks
The game appeared early on to be developing into a blow out with BC mounting and maintaining a 15 point plus edge in the game. However by game's end, the gap had been closed and a battle to the horn would follow. The result was a BC comeback to regain the two point victory and punch their ticket for the night's championship round. The final score was Bethesda Christian Patriots 47-45 for the Waldron Mohawks. The Mohawks played less a starting player due to him breaking his hand during poractice earlier in the week.
Game One
Jac-Cen-Del vs Clay City
The Eagles and Eels opened their game around noon, with positive results for the Eagle Regional debut as they claimed a 21 point victory by a final score of 64-43.
The Eels were first to put points on the scoreboard, but the Eagles had not come to the dance to go home solo. Ties in the first quarter at two, four and six led to a six point run by Eagle senior Gerald Hardesty, doubling the Eagle lead at 12-6, initiating a called by the Clay City coach. Senior Eagle Tim Arnett put JCD's first points on the board, sophomore brother Trevor. added the following basket and senior Matt Gehl scored the FG for JCD's first six points.
In the balance of the period, Eagle Gehl scored a FG, senior Blake Sutton smoked the net with a deep three pointer Tim Arnett added five more points with three coming the old fashioned way via a FG/FT combo. The Eels scored a FG, resulting in a JCD 22-8 Clay City score after one period of play.
Game One - Quarter Two
The Eagles yet held a nearly double point lead at the half time break, ending with a score of 33-17 over Clay City. The Eagles out scored the Eels 11-9 in the second period. Eagle scoring came from Gehl with six and five from Trevor Arnett.
Game One Quarter Three
By the end of period three, JCD held a comfortable 18 point edge at 54-36. Eagle third period scoring came from: Tim Arnett with six off three FG's, Hardesty four off two FG's, Gehl four off two FG's, a Trevor Arnett FG and a Suttton three pointer and FG. With a little less than two minutes remaining, Coach Bradshaw emptied his bench, taking his seniors out to a standing ovation and giving the rest of his team the opportunity for a memory of their own on court Regional play.
Game One- Quarter Four
Eagle final period scoring included Matt Gehl's adding of six from the charity stripe, Trevor Arnett a FG and teamates Gerald Hardesty and Tim Arnett each with a Free Throw. The Eagle defense held the Clay City Eels to a seven point fourth, resulting in a 21 point JCD win at 64-23, and an invite to the Regional Championship at 8 p.m.
Score by Quarter
JCD 22-8 Clay City
JCD 33-17 Clay City
JCD 54-36 Clay City
JCD 64-43 Clay City
Jac-Cen-Del Eagles 64
Matt Gehl 20
Tim Arnett 14
Gerald Hardesty 11
Tim Arnett 11
Blake Sutton 8
Non-scoring Eagles: Shane Adams, Spencer Purdy, Ethan Harmeyer, Derek Lunsford, Brandon Wilhoit, Daniel Harlemert and Joe Abplanalp.
Clay City Eels 43
Levi Seymour 18
Braxton Griffith 8
Logan Higgins 5
Jordan Defore 4
Will Kennedy 4
Kyler Rhodes 2
Orry Heffner 2
Non scoring Eels: DJ Newton, Ben Denker, Jake Tiefel, Josh Decker and Logan Fry.

Regional Championship
Having advanced to the big dance of the day, the Eagle fans were elated and anxious to watch their favored sons take the orange and hit the hardwood for battle.
However, after controlling the opening tip at center court, for the first few minutes early in the game, nothing the Eagles tried went right resulting in turnovers, turnovers, missed shots and more turnovers. One of those "why now" feelings seemed to engulf the crowd. Finally, yet only down by a 3-0 count, the Eagle offense connected as sophomore Trevor Arnett drilled a deep three pointer to tie the game at 3 with 5:12 remaining in the first period.
The Bethesda Christian Patriots regained the lead off a three point shot by senior Mike West. Senior Eagle Matt Gehl drove the length of the court for a short jumper and a FG followed by senior teammate Tim Arnett's first basket of the game to grab their first lead at 7-6 with 1:20 remaining. Gehl scored a FG and BC''s senior Justin Oglesby added a pair of FT's to end the period JCD 8-8 BC.
Championship - Quarter Two
Jac-Cen-Del captured their largest lead of the half at 13 points near the one and a half minute mark of the second quarter, finishing the quarter with an 11 point edge at 29-18. Second quarter scoring for the Eagles came from: a pair of 3 pointers and a FG by Blake Sutton, a pair of FG's and a FT by Matt Gehl, a FG and two FT's by Tim Arnett and a three of four FT attempts made by Shane Adams. The Eagles held the Patriots to 10 points for their efforts in the second quarter.
Third Quarter - Game Two
Scoring for quarter three by JCD was from two 3 pointers by Trevor Arnett, a pair of FG's and a pair of FT's by Gerald Hardesty, a pair of FG's by Shane Adams and a FG by Matt Gehl. The Patriots added 13 to their tally during the period, resulting in a Jac-Cen-Del lead of 16 points, 47-31.
Championship Finale
In the most important quarter to be played by either team thus far this season, time was limited to eight precious minutes. For both the Eagles and the Patriots, it was do or die, with everything worked for "on the line".
By the final horn's sounding, the Eagles had outscored the Patriots 14-13. Added to their other three quarters of play, it resulted in a 17 point JCD victory at 61-44 over Bethesda Chrisitian.
Fourth quarter scoring
Score by Quarter
JCD 9-8 BC
JCD 29-18 BC
JCD 47-31 BC
JCD 61-44 BC
Jac-Cen-Del Eagles 61
Matt Gehl 15
Trevor Arnett 11
Blake Sutton 10
Shane Adams 9
Gerald Hardesty 8
Tim Arnett 8
Non scoring Eagles: Ethan Harmeyer, Spencer Purdy, Derek Lunsford, Brandon Wilhoit, Daniel Harlemert and Joe Abplanalp.
Bethesda Christian 44
Justin Oglesby 16
Kyle Bennett 9
Mike West 8
Chase Ringler 4
Cody Hardwick 4
Cameron Roark 3
Non-scoring Patriots: Jon Stroup, Chris Collins, Clayton Davis, Drew Phillips, Skylar Kelso, Nick Clark, Zane Gard, and Drew Bennett.
Semi-State Schedule for the
IHSAA Class 1A
Jac-Cen-Del Eagles
Saturday, March 21 at Seymour HS where they will battle the North Daviess Cougars.
Game time tip off is slated for 1 p.m.
The second game slated at Seymour HS pits the IHSAA Class 3A Greensburg Pirates against Princeton following the conclusion of the JCD game.