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| Pendleton County Prevails 47-43 In Regional Championship Caliber District Semi-Finals Verax and Belcher Combine For 31 Points Mustangs Season Ends In Heartbreak On Floor Of Bracken County H.S. |
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| Our Brossart Mustangs and the Pendleton County Wildcats hooked up in a classic battle worthy of a Regional Championship game on Wednesday night at Sold Out Bracken County High School in the 38th District Semi-Finals. Both teams had their chances to blow the game open. Pendleton opened an eight point lead at 20-12 with 5:12 to play in the second quarter, before Brossart went on a 8-0 run to tie things up at 20. Pendleton retook a 22-20 lead to the locker room at halftime. Brossart went on a scoring binge of their own following intermission, fueled by a massive Evan McDole two handed slam-dunk, giving the Mustangs a five point lead 29-24 with 4:52 remianing in the third period. It was then that the Cats showed their true character. Joey Verax stepped up and delivered a pair of threes enroute to tying the game at 31, and then giving his squad the lead for good at 34-33 after the third quarter. Brossart mananged to tie the event on two occasions at 38 with 5:56 to play and again at 42 with 2:45 remaining, but each time the Cats had an answer and preserved the lead. With 12.6 remaining in the game and the Mustangs trailing 45-43 with Kevin Smith and Evan McDole disqualified from the game via fouls, Brossart ran one final play in search of a three-point goal attempt that would send the Mustangs into next week's 10th Region Tournament and dispatch the Pendleton County Wildcats. But the best laid plans of mice, men, and Mustangs sometimes go awry - and in this case a pass deflection, Wildcat steal and ensuing Patrick Elliot layup sent the Cats to the 10th's Big Dance and the Mustangs to baseball season. Sophomore Troy Cooper who stepped in when Evan McDole was in foul trouble served notice that he will be a force to be reckoned with in varsity competition for the seasons to come, scoring five weight-room points in limited action. Unfortunately, the Mustangs free-throw woes re-surfaced tonight as the men in green could only complete but 6 of 13 attempts. Congratulations and best wishes to the Cats who will look to break a 34 year drought next week in the 10th Region Tournament. It will take a very good team to beat them. |
| Box Score: Mustangs: Seiter 1-1-0/0-5, Reilly 1-0-0/0-2, Anderson 0-0-2/2-2, McCarthy 2-1-0/2-7, J.Cooper 2-0-0/0-4, McDole 4-0-1.2-9 Totals: 14-3-6/13-43 Cats: O'Hara 1-0-2/2-4, Mains 2-0-0/0-4, Verax 5-2-0/2-16, Belcher 5-0-5/5-15, Elliot 3-0-2/2-8 Totals: 16-2-9/11-47 |
| The Brossart Mustangs 2004-05 "Senior Tour" came to an end last night at the hands of the Pendleton County Wildcats 47-43 in a game decided in the final 12.6 seconds with both Kevin Smith and Evan McDole watching helplessly from the sidelines having fouled out. We knew very well going into last night's game that it would be heartbreaking for one of the two teams playing in this "winner take all," no tomorrow showdown between the 10th Regions top two teams - not arguably the 10ths top two - the 10ths Top Two flat out. I was totally confident that our Mustangs would somehow clear the Pendleton County hurdle, go on to win the 38th District title, slug it out through the 10th Region Tournament and that these seniors would achieve vindication and become legends, ending their careers in Rupp and hanging a picture of themselves for posterity on the wall of the gym next to the 2000 team - It just seemed to be scripted that way. But instead, it was Pendleton County who were up to the task - too athletic, too big, and simply too many weapons. Our coaching staff had a great game plan which put our guys in a position to win BUT play the game a dozen times and we would win our share - but - we wouldn't win them all and most probably wouldn't win the majority. The Pendleton Wildcats are the real deal and are capable of making history in the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately, seven disconsolate Brossart Mustangs seniors ended their careers walking down a dark hall as a group, with only themselves there to provide consolation, after being duly thanked for their service and dismissed from "their" locker room which had served as their kindom for the past four years, in a time-honored tradition as the next generation Mustangs and the coaching staff remained to discuss thier futures. Coming back from Bracken County High School a little late after having had to break down and pack up all of the equipment following a broadcast I arrived back at school just as the seniors were heading for the front doors. We chatted briefly in the lobby, hugged each other, shed a few tears with each other, and then the seven - on their own - gathered together in an informal circle, hands joined, and gave a final 1-2-3 MUSTANGS!!! and then walked out the door into an empty parking lot - It was over. I'm glad I was there to witness it, these guys will always hold and special place in my heart and I am happy that I was there to see them take their last breaths together as a group - I will never forget it. They truly deserved better - but as Coach Schlarman often reminded me - Deserving has got nothing to do with it. Coach Schabell |
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| Photos Courtesy of Tim Cooper |
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