By Michael Minnich
Tribune Sports Editor
mminnich@newstribune.info
FROSTBURG—“Patience!”
It was the mantra of Mountain Ridge head coach Dave Hobel on Friday night, and his team showed plenty of it in a low-scoring 31-22 win over the Frankfort Falcons on Friday night in Frostburg, holding the ball for long periods of the game and running a very methodical offense when the ball did move.
The two teams combined for 33 points in the first three quarters before things opened up slightly in the final period.
Frankfort's Dusty Myers was the only player in double figures with 10 points and added five rebounds.
Logan Wolford, who came in averaging close to 16 points for FHS, scored just two.
James Jones pulled down eight rebounds.
Montana Bradley had seven points to lead Mountain Ridge.
Chris Sowers and Ryan Delaney had six.
With the game scoreless and 6:19 left on the clock in the first quarter, the game was delayed several minutes for a blood cleanup.
Frankfort took an early 5-3 lead on a turnaround from James Jones, but Mountain Ridge got easy baskets from Chris Sowers and Brandon Rodgers and led 7-5 heading into a Frankfort timeout at the 3:18 mark.
Tyler Whitaker extended the early lead with a baseline jumper.
But Frankfort tied the game at 9-9 on four straight points by Dusty Myers, two from the line and two on a tough running layup, with 1:32 left in the quarter.
It was the final score of the frame: Mountain Ridge held the ball for most of the rest of the quarter.
The second quarter saw even less scoreboard action.
The Miners scored the first six points of the second quarter, three from Cody Sindy off the bench, to take a 15-9 lead with 2:36 left in the half.
Brian Bills ended a Falcon scoring drought of eight minutes and four seconds with a free throw at the 1:28 mark. It was FHS' lone point of the quarter.
Mountain Ridge held for the last shot of the quarter, and again missed.
MRHS led at the break, 15-10.
It was Frankfort's second-lowest point total in the first half all season; the Falcons scored nine at Fort Hill.
Logan Wolford was held scoreless in the first half for the first time this year.
Sowers made a reverse layup to open second-half scoring, then Jones scored off of an inbounds pass for the Falcons' first field goal in ten minutes and ten seconds.
Myers' catch-and-shoot pulled Frankfort within three points, 17-14, with 6:17 left in the third quarter.
Out of a timeout, the Miners held the ball—without any pressure from Frankfort—until the 3:55 mark.
They didn't take a shot until Delaney missed a mid-range shot with 3:24 left.
The Miners got the rebound, and re-set their offense.
Sowers missed with 2:27 left, and Frankfort got their first possession in almost four minutes.
Jones missed a short shot, and the Miners again went to work with a three-point lead.
see PATIENCE page 5A
Sowers scored a layup with 1:25 to go in the quarter.
Mountain Ridge led, 19-14, after the third quarter.
Daniel Strietbeck got on the scoresheet for Mountain Ridge with a three from the right corner, then Myers scored two for Frankfort.
FHS coach Scott Slider was then assessed a technical foul, and Ryan Delaney made both attempts at the line.
The Miners led, 24-16, with 6:38 left.
Wolford finally scored on a jumper with 5:31 left.
Suddenly, both teams were playing basketball: Delaney made one of two at the line, then Myers hit a short jumper and Marcus Weaver converted a layup in transition to bring FHS back within three points, 25-22.
Mountain Ridge was very patient on offense, running off a minute before missing a shot.
Jones could not take advantage the other way, and MRHS ran the clock down to 2:25 before Delaney scored.
Frankfort turned the ball over and again had to chase the game.
Mountain Ridge, still in possession, took a timeout with 1:38 to go.
Frankfort was forced to foul.
Montana Bradley missed the front end of a one-and-one with 1:19 left.
Frankfort didn't score the other way, and Bradley again stepped to the line.
This time, he hit the front end—and the back, for good measure.
Weaver missed a three, and the parade to the line continued on Robbie Heltzel's fifth foul with 47.3 seconds left.
Bradley hit the front end, and Slider took a timeout.
After the sophomore guard missed the second shot, Weaver again was unable to deliver from three.
Strietbeck made one of two, Frankfort missed a three the other way, and Mountain Ridge held on to the ball for the final seconds.
Mountain Ridge won the JV game, 49-24.
Frankfort took the first meeting on a snowy December night in Short Gap, 59-53.
Mountain Ridge (8-6) hosts Keyser on Tuesday.
Frankfort (6-8) next travels to Bishop Walsh, also on Tuesday.
