SMITHVILLE — Colonel Crawford played defense like the No. 1 team in the state Sunday evening.
The Eagles, who took over the top spot in Division III in the most recent Associated Press state poll, nearly pitched a first-half shutout and cruised to an impressive 44-23 win over Waverly in the marquee game of the Battle at the Berkey in Smithville.
The Tigers (15-4) were ranked eighth in Division II in the most recent AP state poll, but could get nothing going against the Eagles (18-0). Colonel Crawford led 7-2 after the opening quarter and 16-2 at the half, holding Waverly scoreless in the second period.
“All five of us were on the same page defensively, just talking and being loud and working hard,” senior Carter Valentine said. “It was a team effort for sure. We played hard and we played together.”
A 6-foot-6 swingman and Ashland University recruit, Valentine had the unenviable task of guarding Waverly’s Trey Robertson most of the evening. Robertson, who is Waverly’s career scoring leader with more than 1,700 points, managed just eight points and six of them came when the outcome was decided in the fourth quarter.
“It was everybody. We did a phenomenal job to hold him to eight,” Colonel Crawford coach David Sheldon said. “It’s a credit to our guys. They were talking and communicating.
“I’m intense. I expect every possession my guys to play hard and that’s what they did.”
Valentine hit a 3-pointer on Colonel Crawford’s opening possession and knocked down a baseline jumper a minute later, spotting the Eagles to a quick 5-0 lead. Robertson scored on layup on Waverly’s next trip down the floor to cut Crawford’s advantage to 5-2 with 5:33 remaining in the first quarter.
That would be all for the Tigers the rest of the half. In fact, Waverly wouldn’t score again until Will Futhey’s driving layup with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter made it 17-4. The Tigers went 15 minutes of game time bridging the first, second and third quarters between field goals and trailed 28-9 after three.
Valentine and Mason Studer scored 10 points apiece to pace the Eagles. Derek Horsley added seven points, while Nolan McKibben hit a pair of 3-pointers for six points.
“Offensively, we never panicked,” Sheldon said. “Nolan McKibben stepped up and hit some big threes for us when they were keying on Studer and Valentine.”
Futhey, a rugged 6-foot-5 forward, led Waverly with 10 points. Robertson added eight.
Sunday’s game will go a long way in preparing the Eagles for the postseason, Sheldon said.
“It was like the tournament, one game at a neutral site,” Sheldon said. “We had two snow days when we couldn’t get in the gym. We had one practice, sort of like the district.
“Hopefully we made a statement across the state of Ohio.”
