LAUREL – The Laurel boys found a way at home on Friday night to score a win over Class B Columbus by holding the Cougars back for a 32-31 win.
On a night when Laurel couldn’t seem to get a shot from outside the key, Dalton Boehler gave the locomotives the spark they needed in the second half.
Towards the end of the third quarter, Boehler had a corner kick with three pointers to reduce Columbus’ lead to one. It was the first 3 of the game for Laurel.
“They rely on the guys who have been there before and been through things. We play slowly and with poor results anyway,” said Laurel head coach Tony Trudnowski. “We panicked in the third quarter. They did a great job and stuck to their game plan. We have to feel like a ticking time bomb. We just have to break the seal, have to break the seal. At some point we have one.” Big 3 from (Boehler) and that helped. “
Columbus newcomer Mason Meier opened the fourth quarter with his own corner 3 to give the Cougars a lead of four points with 21:17. After a time-out of four minutes and Columbus at 23:21, Boehler again saved the day.
Emmet Renner found Boehler from a doubles team and Boehler hit his second 3-pointer of the game to give Laurel the lead. With a margin of 26-25, Boehler took Kaeden Daniels’s bag and put it inside to give the locomotives just enough cushioning with less than two minutes of play time.
“Especially the guys who play the seven, eight, nine roles – for me it’s one of the most difficult roles in basketball. Sometimes you come in and you expect to be in a really big situation. Sometimes you have to sit there and others Watch people doing it and do both well, “said Trudnowski. “I can’t tell you how proud I am that (Boehler) is ready all the time to come in, even missed a few shots early, but ready to go to the next one and shoot with confidence. That was huge. “
Colby Martinez buried a 3-pointer for Columbus 0.6 seconds ahead, but Laurel ran short of time to seal the win.
Colter Bales led Laurel with 12 points. Renner had 10 points for the locomotives and Boehler had eight, all in the last 9:05 of the game. Martinez led the Cougars when he was 12.
The girls played in Columbus on Friday night, where the Cougars held the locomotives back in double overtime (41-40).
The two sides were tied with 28 at the end of regulation and 36 at the end of the first extension.
Columbus only made 50 percent of his free throws, 14-of-28, but scored the locomotives 14-8 on the foul line. The Cougars also hit three groups of three as opposed to Laurels.
Payton West led all scorers with 14 points for the Cougars. Grace Timm had 13 for Laurel.
Laurel’s boys and girls are on Tuesday against Livingston. Columbus will play against Big Timber on Tuesday.
