The Pirate Seniors must not have wanted the season to end. A close game that needed extra time to decide the winner was a Pilot victory until Senior Gabe Williams hit a layup with no time on the clock to tie the game in regulation. The Pirates opened up the game with a 10-7 lead after one only to see the Pilots roar back by out-scoring them by 7 in the second. Pilots 23 Pirates 19 halftime. The third quarter saw Ayersville extend their lead by another point. Pilots 33, Pirates 28 after 3. The Pirates pulled to within one, 36-35 with just under 4 minutes to go. The next 3 minutes had the Pilots score 2 while the Pirates got 3 for a 38 all score with 20 seconds to go. A Pilot score was equaled by the Pirates at the buzzer for a 40 all tie at the end of four quarters. The Pirates got the lead in the first overtime period. Pirates 47, Pilots 44.
Leading the way for the Pirates was Gabe Williams with 14 points while Wade Stauffer, Jacob Williams, and Trevor Williamson all had 9 points. Derek Troyer rounded out the Pirate scoring with 6.
The Pirates move to 8-13 while the Pilots fall to 13-9. The Pirates play next on Friday March 6 at 6:15 at Bryan High School. They will play Edgerton (17-5) in the sectional finals. Continental is seeded 12 in the Van Wert District while Edgerton is seeded 2. Ayersville was seeded 4.
–Photo by Kelly Sarka
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter