By Jeremy McDonald
jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
INDEPENDENCE, Ore.– After falling in a close bout to Thurston to open the season on Wednesday, the Central Panthers bounced back Friday, put the first game jitters aside and picked up their first victory of the season as they defeated Glencoe 59-50.
They brought the energy in the first quarter and sustained it throughout, anchored by Ryan Burgett’s 25 points, Central closed out the first week of the season 1-1 on the year.
“We just came out harder. We were ready to play this time with intensity in the first quarter and we kept it through the whole game,” said Burgett.
For a team that’s filled with new faces this season, they went back to their core principles on defense Friday night. A Tyler Allen defense demands a lot of attention to detail, and done right it’ll flow right into their offense as it did against the Crimson Tide.
Something that Central will hope to carry into week two of the season this next week against North Medford (Tuesday, at home) and at McMinnville (Friday on the road).
“(Burgett) was aggressive and that was the important thing, he took what the defense gave him. Lucas (Haines) getting us extra possessions, he’s only a freshman so that’s fun to watch and Jack (Holestine) really finding his role,” said Allen. “He’s our only returning starter and he’s going to have to find his role more than anything else. That role is to score and facilitate to score and I think he did a great job of that tonight.
“We need to be battle tested. We get one more opportunity at home on Tuesday and then we’re on the road to see how we are as Road Warriors. It’s going to be a good opportunity (North Medford) is historically a good 6A program as much as McMinnville is and it’s preparing us for the tough league that we are in.”
David Walle scored 12 points and Holestine added 11 in the win for the Panthers. Terrence Townsend and Jacob Diaz each scored 12 for Glencoe.
Photos By Jeremy McDonald
