Thomas Williams drilled six of the nine 3-pointers for the Yellow Jackets to garner a game-high 22 points, but the heat from those perimeter shots failed to roast the Falcons as Frankfort fanned its wings to smother the flames in a 77-56 victory in Moorefield on Monday night.
“Thomas [Williams] shot the ball well tonight. I was happy with our second half performance as a team. We were finally aggressive, finally going to the ball, trying to rebound the ball, so that was a good thing. That was a step in the right direction,” Moorefield Coach Scott Stutler remarked.
Williams scorched the net with four treys in the fourth period, but the Falcons damage was too much to overcome at that point in the game.
In the first quarter, Frankfort took a 22-12 advantage which was created in part by Parker Riley’s 11 points including three 3-pointers en route to a team-high 15 points in the win.
Frankfort’s Blake Wasson netted four points in the first period, while Caleb Hare added three points, Zack Whitacre and Drew Mauzy pitched in two points apiece.
Moorefield countered in the opening frame with seven points by Williams including one 3-pointer, Brent Moran knocked down one 3-pointer and Chase Vance sank a jumper.
The Falcons extended the lead to 36-18 late in the second period, then Moorefield’s Blake Watts hit a 3-pointer at the 2:07 mark.
Frankfort responded with back-to-back trifectas from Caleb Hare in a span of 26 seconds with the help of a turnover to boost the lead to 42-21 at halftime.
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The Falcons scored eight seconds into the third period with a basket in the paint by Jansen Knotts.
Moorefield answered with an inside jumper by Ben O’Neill off an assist from Vance, then Garett Haggerty stole the ball and made a putback to cut the deficit to 44-25.
Wasson drew a foul and made both free throws for the Falcons, then both teams missed shots before Knotts sank a mid-range jumper at 6:01.
Wasson swiped the ball, but turned it over with a double-dribble, then Whitacre snatched it back leading to a layup by Drew Mauzy.
Moran drove inside for a basket to cut the deficit to 50-27 with 4:31 remaining in the third period.
Wasson added two free throws on the next possession, then Whitacre stole the ball.
Moorefield’s Ben O’Neill knocked the ball loose and Williams recovered the ball, then Haggerty grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled leading to one foul shot made.
Elton Pollock was fouled and added both free throws for Frankfort.
Vance managed to get two defenders to come over and lifted up above them near the top of the key for a jumper at 2:48, 54-30.
The Falcons lost the ball out of bounds under the full court pressure, then Watts drove into the paint and netted shot.
After a deflection by Vance, Pollock was open on the inbound pass to create a basket.
An attempt by Moran bounced off the rim, but Haggerty was there grabbing the rim while putting the ball into the hoop, 56-34.
Knotts hit a pair of free throws to give Frankfort a 58-34 lead with a minute left in the third period which was carried into the final frame.
Mauzy collected a defensive rebound, then Haggerty blocked a shot and Vance recovered the ball.
Pollock stole the ball and there was an offensive foul, then Mauzy swiped the ball as time expired.
Haggerty made a putback to open the fourth period for the Yellow Jackets, trailing 58-36.
Moran stole the ball, but missed the ensuing breakaway basket and Lane Ours hauled down the carom with a pass to Vance, who drew a foul and made one free throw.
Ours collected a defensive rebound, then Whitacre poked the ball away and went diving for it near the Moorefield bench sliding out of bounds.
Wasson made a defensive rebound as the Falcons went back on offense and executed a cut to the back door with Jon Ritchie making the field goal.
A minute and change later after a handful of missed shots, Haggerty assisted Moran on a jumper at 5:18, 60-39.
Dave Blanco netted a wide open basket in the paint moments later for Frankfort.
Williams nailed his third 3-pointer of the night at the 4:40 mark with more perimeter shooting in his pocket coming later in the contest, 62-42.
Moran forced a turnover and scored a layup, then swiped the ball again and drew a foul leading to one free throw with 3:45 left making it 62-45.
Blanco grabbed the rebound, then Williams stole the ball and the ensuing shot missed with Pollock collecting the rebound with a pass to Riley for a basket in the paint.
Vance dished to Williams, who drilled another 3-pointer with 3:04 on the clock as the deficit stood at 64-48.
Three putbacks by Frankfort’s Jon Ritchie helped push a 9-0 run to provide a 73-48 advantage with one minute to go.
Moran drove inside for a basket on the next series for the Yellow Jackets, but Pollock answered for Frankfort.
Williams sandwiched two 3-pointers from the corner in front of the Moorefield bench with 28 seconds and one second remaining around a putback by Blanco for a final score of 77-56.
After the game-high effort of 22 points by Williams, Moran contributed 15 points for the Yellow Jackets.
Frankfort was paced by Riley with 15 points, followed by Pollock with 12.
In JV action, the Falcons defeated Moorefield 71-24.
The Yellow Jackets were led by Hayden Baldwin with 12 points, while Frankfort was guided by Jon Ritchie with 14 points.
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