Bulldogs bow out to Blue Devils

By DONN ADAMSON
Daily Journal Sports Editor

HILLSBORO — The West County Bulldogs had an uphill battle in their sectional game against the Maplewood Blue Devils, the No. 1 team in the state in Class 3. It went downhill quickly with the Blue Devils allowing the Bulldogs only two field goals in the first quarter while scoring eight basket of their own to set up a 71-32 final.

Bryant Allen hit a three-pointer from the corner to start things off for Maplewood and would lead all players in the quarter with 10 points

West County (19-11) was only 2-4 at the free throw line and 2-6 from the floor in the first frame. A three-pointer by Zach Priest brought a glimmer of hope for the Bulldogs, but it was soon erased as Patrick Drake and Tony King came off the bench to score one three-pointer each.

Bryton Hobbs took over scoring honors for the Blue Devils with eight points in the second quarter, but he etched it in cement with three three-pointers in the third quarter to finish with 22 points.

Maplewood (27-3) scored quickly in transition whether off of a West County turnover or on a defensive board, very often beating the Bulldogs defense to the other end for the easy lay-in. For all intent and purposes the game was virtually over at the half with Maplewood leading 44-16.

Trevor Kean and Tyler Stacy both hit threes in the third quarter to give the West County fans something to cheer about, but it would be the highlight of their scoring with still a quarter and a half to play.

The Bulldogs turned the ball over 19 times in the game to Maplewood’s nine.

Bryan Wisdom hit a three late in the fourth quarter to keep the game within 40 points.

Maplewood will play Charleston (18-9) in a Class 3 quarterfinal game at Farmington’s Civic Center on Saturday .

West County  6 10 10 6 - 32

Maplewood  19 25 23 4 - 71

Scoring:

West County - Watson 10, Priest 10, Kean 4, Stacy 3, Morgan 2.  3-pt. FG - Kean, Stacy, Wisdom Priest.

Maplewood - Hobbs 22, Allen 17, Brooks 10, Drake 7, King 7, Belts 6, Williams 2.  3-pt. FG - Hobbs 3, Allen, Drake, King.