Saturday had host Columbus Grove pull away from Continental in the middle quarters to capture the Putnam County League Boys basketball game. The Pirates started out the scoring with a Mason Rayle 3 to take the early lead. A 7 point run by the Bulldogs put them up for good at 7-3. A basket by Mason Rayle stopped the run and made it a 2 point game 7-5 Bulldogs. A Bulldog 3 was followed by a Brady Thomsen basket. Bulldogs 10-7. The teams traded baskets to finish off the first quarter scoring with Mason Rayle hitting for the Pirates. Bulldog 12-9 after 1. The Bulldogs opened up the second quarter scoring by hitting a 3 to which the Pirates Monty Rayle countered with a basket. Bulldogs 15-11. Another Bulldog 3 and a Carson Etter basket made it a 5 point game, 18-13 Bulldogs. The Bulldogs would go on a 7 point run to finish off the halves scoring. Bulldogs 25-13 at half.
The Bulldogs make a basket to push their lead to 14. A Mason Rayle 3 would make it a 27-16 Bulldog lead. The Bulldogs would score 13 of the next 15 points to finish off the third quarter scoring with Thomsen making a basket for the Pirates points. Bulldogs 40-18 after 3. The Pirates would put in the first 7 points of the fourth on a Jonathon Etter basket, a 2 and a 3 by Mason Rayle. Bulldogs 40-25. The Bulldogs would add 10 more points to their total while the Pirates would get a Thomsen basket and a pair of free throws from Quinn Tegenkamp. Bulldogs 50-29 final.
Mason Rayle put in 15 to lead the Pirates. Brady Thomsen scored 6 points, Monty Rayle, Carson Etter, Jonathon Etter and Quinn Tegenkamp all scored 2 points. Mason Rayle made three 3 pointers for the Pirates. The Bulldogs made seven 3 pointers.
Continental falls to 2-14 (0-4 PCL) and will host Ottoville on Friday for another PCL matchup. Columbus Grove improves to 9-7 (3-1 PCL).
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
