Lewistown put an end to the 2002-03 Tyrone boys season on Thursday with a 72-56 win over the Golden Eagles in the District VI AAA consolation final contest at Bald Eagle Area High School. In Class AAA only the top three teams in District VI go on to play in the PIAA state playoffs.
Lewistown led all the way in the game, but Tyrone trailed just 30-28 at the halftime intermission.
Senior Tyler Mertiff paced the Eagles with a game-best 30 points and also pulled down nine rebounds to lead Tyrone. Mertiff was in foul trouble for much of the game however, and Lewistown, with superior depth was able to take advantage.
“This was a tough one to lose,” said Tyrone coach Mike Harris. “Our kids played awfully hard, every one of them. Indian Valley shot well and we didn’t. We just couldn’t make layups. We got some easy looks, but the shots just wouldn’t fall.”
Down by two to begin the third quarter, Tyrone opened the second half by missing a layup and the Panthers went down the court and put in a bucket. With a five-point the Lewistown offense pulled Tyrone post player Brady Hoover out of the middle, where he is most effective. Hoover scored 17 points and had 16 rebounds. The maneuver forced Tyrone out of their game and enabled the Panthers to outscore the Golden Eagles 42-28 over the final two quarters.
Sharp-shooting Joe Stewart was kept in check for much of the first half, but came alive in the second half to finish with a team-high 20 points, eight rebounds and six steals.
“In the second half, we got out of our game,” explained Harris. “They got a five-point lead and Stewart started driving and getting layups. When we were on offense, we would give a head fake he’d come up from behind and swat the ball away.”
Mertiff and Hoover combined for 47 of the Eagles 56 points, while Lewistown got a balanced effort with four players in double figures. Behind Stewart, freshman Matt Hilton scored 15, including 11 points in the fourth quarter when Lewistown outscored Tyrone 27-19 to solidify a Panther victory. Moore added 15 points and Hartsock 14 for Lewistown.
“Tyler’s one of a kind,” said Harris in describing his star player, who will play football at IUP. “Tyler’s been doing that for us all year. He’s taking the loss very hard, that’s because he gives up so much of himself. When he loses, it’s awful hard for him. That’s the way it should be for everyone, but Tyler is one of a kind. You don’t get very many kids like him go through a program.”
Lewistown, now 18-11, will play the winner of the Blackhawk/Hopewell game in the first round of the state playoffs.
Harris was saddened by the loss, but tipped his hat to his two seniors, Tyler Mertiff and Mike Ashcroft.
“These two seniors have done everything I could have asked of them,” said Harris. “Tyler and Mike come to play at practice every day. They never made excuses, never tried to bail out. They are excellent examples of what Tyrone athletes should be, good role models for the younger kids on the team. They worked hard and never complained.”
Tyrone finished the 2002-03 season 14-12.
District VI Class AAA
Consolation final
Lewistown 72 Tyrone 56
LEWISTOWN – Baker 0 4-4 4, Hartsock 6 1-1 14, Moore 6 3-5 15, O’Donnell 1 0-4 2, Stewart 8 4-5 20, Hilton 5 4-4 15, Heider 1 0-0 2, Tressler 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 27 16-23 72.
TYRONE – Ashcroft 1 0-0 2, Mertiff 7 13-15 30, Be. Gummo 1 2-2 5, Wilson 1 0-0 2, B. Hoover 7 3-6 17, Domenick 0 0-0 0, Hershberger 0 0-0 0, Cushion 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 17 18-23 56.
Score By Quarters
Lewistown 14 16 15 27 – 72
Tyrone 10 18 9 19 – 56
Three-point goals: Lewistown 2 (Hilton 1, Hartsock 1); Tyrone 4 (Mertiff 3, Be, Gummo 1).
