Ringgold boys oust Freeport in Class 4A opening round
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Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | 11:17 PM
Ringgold’s Luke Wyvratt drives between Patrick Keeley (15) and Aiden Skradski (11) during the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Feb. 20, 2019, at Gateway.
Ringgold’s Christopher Peccon drives to the basket against Freeport’s Garrett Schaffhauser during the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Feb. 20, 2019, at Gateway.
Ringgold’s Demetrius Butler shoots over Freeport’s Aiden Skradski during the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Feb. 20, 2019, at Gateway.
Ringgold’s Luke Wyvratt shots over Freeport’s Aiden Skradski during the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Feb. 20, 2019, at Gateway.
The Freeport and Ringgold boys basketball teams were both on lengthy streaks without a WPIAL playoff victory.
Freeport’s last win came in 2010 while Ringgold last appeared in the playoffs in 2011, when it lost in the first round.
It was a tale of two halves for the No. 8-seeded Yellowjackets, who fell to No. 9 Ringgold, 76-47, in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs Wednesday at Gateway High School.
Freeport (11-10) trailed Ringgold, 29-28, at halftime. The third quarter, however, plagued Freeport, which was outscored 26-8.
“We came out and executed exactly what we wanted to do on the first play,” Freeport coach Wayne Greiser said. “We ran clippers and got a layup, and that might’ve been the last shot we made for a long time, and they made a whole bunch after that. Give them credit. They put the ball in the hoop. They made us miss a lot.”
Junior Garret Schaffhauser scored the bucket for Freeport on its first possession of the second half for a one-point lead at 30-29. After that it was all Ringgold.
The Rams (14-8) first went on a 13-4 run. Junior Luke Wyvratt led the way with six points during that stretch. Another two points from Schaffhauser preceded another 13-4 run for Ringgold. Wyvratt added another four points on the run while senior Jaden Taylor added four points, as well. Wyvratt finished with 22 points and Taylor added 14.
“The second half was probably the best half we have played all year,” Ringgold coach Phil Pergola said. “It was sparked by our defense, and we didn’t let them press as much. We had to turn it over once or twice, there’s no doubt about that. It didn’t bother us, and going in we thought that their press was what made them go.”
Freeport trailed by five at the end of the first quarter and turned it on in the second quarter. Senior Jalen Brown scored six of his team-high 18 points in the second quarter. Freeport tied the score at 23 in the quarter on a Brown layup.
Junior Chris Peccon led Ringgold with 24 points, including 14 in the second half.
“He’s our leader, no doubt about it,” Pergola said. “Sometimes I get mad at him, but he’s our go-to guy.”
Consistency was an issue for Freeport during the season, and it reared its ugly head Wednesday night. It’s been one bad quarter all year, according to Greiser.
“A lot of times its been the second quarter, and lately it’s been the third,” Greiser said. “I don’t know, maybe my halftime speeches aren’t the most rousing. We will have to work on that.”
Ringgold advances to play No. 1-seeded New Castle Saturday in the quarterfinals.
D.j. Vasil is a freelance writer.
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