NORTH ROBINSON — Colonel Crawford coach David Sheldon said that his team ramped up its work defensively this week after the Eagles were not as good as they have been in recent games.
In fact, Colonel Crawford entered Friday night’s battle with a strong Mohawk team having lost three of its last four games.
“These guys have been challenged the last few games defensively,” Sheldon said. “We haven’t been real good defensively in the last four games, which is not Colonel Crawford defense.”
The Eagles, however, stepped up defensively and controlled the game on the defensive end of the floor.
Crawford dominated the middle two periods, outscoring a dynamic Mohawk offense, 29-13, en route to a 58-49 win over the Warriors.
With the win, Crawford improved to 6-3 overall, 4-1 in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference. The Eagles are still just one game behind Carey in the league standings.
Mohawk fell to 8-2 overall, 3-2 in the conference.
Mohawk coach Paul Dunn felt that his team didn’t come out ready to play against the talented Eagles.
“We just didn’t come out with a very good mindset,” Dunn said. “Our defense was terrible in the first half. We came out in a zone, but we didn’t play very well in transition.
“I just don’t think our mindset was as good as we would expect in a game like this,” Dunn added.
Colonel Crawford post Jacob Maddy scored 16 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Eagles. Teammate Braxton Baker scored 18 to lead the Eagles.
“(Jacob Maddy) did what a senior was supposed to do in a big game,” Sheldon said. “He stepped up on both sides of the floor. We talked about taking ownership and that’s what he did.
“Our kids really responded tonight,” he added. “I’m proud of the guys. Now we have to get back on a roll.”
The two teams struggled to an 11-11 draw after one period, but the hosts took the game over with their defense in the second period.
Mohawk managed just three points over the first six minutes of the period as the Eagles jumped out to a 22-13 lead on a Baker 3-point shot.
The Warriors managed to cut the lead to 23-17 on a Brayden Chester 3 right before the half.
After Mohawk’s Bryce Hannam opened the third period with a basket in the lane, the Eagles scored nine of the next 11 points to take a 32-21 lead on a Baker basket in the lane.
Ryan McMichael dropped a free throw, before Baker knocked down a 3, Maddy added a bucket and Baker added another 10-footer as Crawford took a 40-24 lead into the final frame.
Mohawk came storming back in the fourth period as point guard Boomer Cleveland scored all 15 of his points in the final frame.
Cleveland hit two free throws with 45.7 seconds left to cut the lead to nine, 53-44, before scoring again with 32 seconds left to cut the lead to 54-47.
But the Warriors got no closer. Crawford struggled at the free throw line in the fourth period and finished the game hitting just 18 of 29 shots from the stripe.
“We have enough talent on offense, but we couldn’t finish in the first three quarters,” Dunn said. “Our point guard (Cleveland) was able to get to the basket whenever he wanted to. But we just weren’t able to put the ball in the hole.”
“I’m very proud of what our kids did on the defensive side of the ball,” Sheldon said. “In the first three quarters we were lights out. We played good defense against a very good offense.
“There really wasn’t a lot of time to work when you have to go through the four-game stretch we did. Our young kids have to take ownership and I think we did.”
Colonel Crawford won the junior varsity game, 33-20. Logan Goddard, Deagan Moore, and Carter McGrady led the Eagles with eight points. Hayden Parker and Ben Bogner led the Warriors with six points.
Box score
Mohawk 11 6 7 25 — 49
Colonel Crawford 11 12 17 18 — 58
Mohawk (8-2, 3-2 N10): Shots 18-45; 3-pt. shots 8 (A.J. Hess 3, Boomer Cleveland 2, Zaiden Fry, Hunter Haynes, Brayden Chester); Free throws 5-8; Rebounds 15; Turnovers 7. Scoring: Zaiden Fry 2 1 6, Kahne Hayman 1 0 2, Boomer Cleveland 5 3 15, Hunter Haynes 2 1 6, A.J. Hess 3 0 9, Bryce Hannam 3 0 6, Brayden Chester 2 0 5.
Colonel Crawford (6-3, 4-1 N10): Shots 18-35; 3-pt. shots 4 (Braxton Baker 3, Derek Horsley); Free throws 18-29; Rebounds 30; Turnovers 14. Scoring: Trevor Vogt 2 3 7, Ethan Holt 1 1 3, Derek Horsley 1 6 9, Braxton Baker 5 5 18, Jacob Maddy 8 0 16, Ryan McMichael 1 3 5.
JV: Colonel Crawford 33-20.