Dewey Dailey, Contributor
GREENFIELD — McClain aimed to remain undefeated while Adena looked to get back on track on Wednesday.
CREDIT: Derrick Webb/SOSA
The Tigers, who came into the non-league battle at 6-0, were determined to keep a goose egg in the loss column while the Warriors were coming off their first loss of the year, a decision dropped at Eastern Brown last week.
McClain’s experience proved to be key down the stretch as the Tigers (7-0) remained undefeated with a 55-48 win, a game they controlled throughout.
McClain got off to a hot start in the first quarter with a series of field goals from Payton Pryor, Iva Easter, Kyla Burchett, and Madi Sykes. Those four put the Tigers up 8-4. The Tigers also benefited from a Jaelyn Pitzer 3-pointer that would help McClain finish the quarter with an 11-6 lead.
Adena (8-2) got things going in the second, tallying 12 points as a team in the quarter. The Warriors strongly relied on the trio of Jadyn Smith, Sydney Foglesong, and Emma Garrison to help the team gain momentum heading into halftime.
But even after scoring double its point total from the first quarter, Adena surrendered 17 to the Tigers, heading into halftime trailing 28-18.
“They’re a well-rounded team,” Burchett said of Adena. “So getting up early really benefited us.”
The Tigers then showed their full offensive potential in the third, led by Bri Weller’s six points in the frame. That helped McClain outscore Adena 19-13, extending the lead to 16 points at 47-31 heading into the fourth.
Weller was backed by Burchett with six points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field. Including that duo, the Tigers had six players grace the scoring column in the quarter.
Adena, however, wasn’t going down without a fight. The Warriors illustrated why they’re undefeated in league play by mounting a 17-8 run in the quarter, led by Garrison, who chalked up eight points alongside Jadyn Smith, who added seven.
But that effort was too little, too late as McClain put a bow on a 55-48 win.
“This was a big win,” Weller said. “They actually beat us last year, so it felt really good to get back out there and get some revenge.”
The game featured a battle in the paint between McClain’s Payton Pryor and Adena’s Sydney Foglesong. Pryor gained an edge in the rebound column, snagging 12 boards to Foglesong’s eight. Four of Pryor’s rebounds came on the offensive end, giving McClain several opportunities for second-chance points.
“We work on rebounding and second-chance points a lot with our coaches,” Burchett said.
In total, the Warriors surrendered 12 offensive rebounds, many of which resulted in second-chance buckets. Although Adena only allowed one offensive rebound in the third, the Warriors didn’t have an answer for the Tigers’ offense.
WATCH: McClain’s Bri Weller and Kyla Burchett discuss Wednesday’s win
McClain made it clear that it’s a versatile team with a ton of weapons.
Statistically, Weller finished with 14 points, three rebounds and three steals. Burchett followed with 11 points and three rebounds while Pryor had four points and 12 boards. Pitzer and Easter also contributed, scoring seven points each.
Adena was led by Garrison with 18 points and seven rebounds while Smith finished with 13 points and five boards. Foglesong also helped out, totaling 10 points and seven rebounds.
McClain is back in action on Saturday, hosting Fairfield, while Adena looks to get back on track on Tuesday, entertaining Zane Trace.
BOX SCORE
Adena: 6-12-13-17 — 48
McClain: 11-17-19-8 — 55
Adena: 14 FG, 17-21 FT, 3 3pt. Scoring: Garrison 18, Smith 13, Foglesong 10, Miner 3, Lovely 2, Willis 2.
McClain: 23 FG, 9-16 FT, 2 3pt. Scoring: Weller 14, Burchett 11, Pitzer 7, Easter 7, Vanzant 4, Pryor 4, Sykes 4, Stegbauer 2, Crabtree 2.