The Chillicothe Hornets faced Maryville in the Class 4 District 16 semifinal from Benton High School on Thursday night. Chillicothe entered as the 3 seed trying to take down #2 Maryville who had won both regular season matchups by double digits.
Chillicothe’s intensity was high from the opening tip. The Hornets scored the first five points of the game, and even once Maryville responded with a 9-0 run, Chillicothe answered right back to take a lead entering the 2nd quarter. Hornets star senior forward Jaishon White came out on fire, scoring all 12 of Chillicothe’s first quarter points including a pair of triples from the top of the key.
Chillicothe led 12-11 to start the 2nd quarter and held the advantage the entire frame, opening the lead out to as many as six. The Spoofhounds were able to contain White in the 2nd quarter, holding him scoreless, but the other Hornets stepped up tallying a dozen again in that quarter to lead 24-21 at the half.
Maryville had a different frame of mind to open the 2nd half, scoring the first six points to retake the lead. Chillicothe did not blink, raising their level of play to score the next 10 points spanning the end of the 3rd quarter and into the 4th. Jack Marshall and Turner Jackson both found the range from deep as Chillicothe posted their largest lead at 35-27 with under six minutes to play.
The Spoofhounds connected on a crucial corner three to start another run of their own. Junior guard Jackson Dredge then began to assert himself, scoring from the inside and outside, totaling 22 points in the game including 13 after halftime. Maryville came all the way back to take a 41-38 lead with 2 minutes to play.
The score remained 41-38 with under 30 seconds to go when Jackson drilled his third 3 of the half, drawing level at 41 apiece. Dredge immediately took the ball downhill for Maryville, drawing a foul with 9.7 seconds remaining. Dredge made the first, then missed the 2nd, however Maryville recovered the offensive rebound, and got the ball back into Dredge’s hands. Chillicothe was forced to foul with 5.5 seconds left, sending Dredge back to the line. This time Dredge made both foul shots to put Maryville ahead 44-41. In the waning seconds Jaishon White attempted a contested three pointer and was fouled on the shot, giving the senior a chance to tie the game at the line.
White made the first free throw, but after a timeout by the Spoofhounds to ice the shooter, White missed the 2nd free throw. The Hornets were then unable to grab the rebound on the final foul shot and Maryville escaped with a 44-42 victory.
The Hornets played one of their best games of the season, but came up just short to end the year at 17-10. The top two seeds in the district, Benton and Maryville will play for the district championship on Saturday at Benton High School. The Hornets say goodbye to a special senior class featuring Jaishon White, Jack Marshall, Oliver Perry, Jaydin Kohl, and Frankie Forbess.
Chillicothe 12 24 32 42
Maryville 11 21 27 44
Individual scoring:
Chillicothe – White 13, Jackson 9, Burke Beetsma 7, Marshall 6, Deakan Delaney 5, Max Probasco 2
Maryville – Dredge 22, Nathan White 9, Miles Poynter 8, Luke Allen 5