CANTON — The last memory won’t become the lasting memory for Seneca East.
“That group of seniors are going to be missed,” Tigers head coach Anthony Langhurst said after his team fell 87-37 to powerhouse Richmond Heights in a Division IV Region 13 game Tuesday night at the Canton Fieldhouse.
“I think (assistant) coach (Doug) Mason put it best. They make mundane practice drills fun and competitive. That’s going to be the biggest thing and we’ll miss that leadership. Honestly, they do a lot of great things on the floor and on a day-to-day basis they do things the right way, whether it’s at school or at practice,” he said.
Seneca East (21-6) fell behind early as the quickness and athleticism of the Spartans took over, forcing 23 turnovers and recording 17 steals.
Richmond Heights (16-9) raced out to a 33-0 lead before Aidan Hines hit a three for a 37-3 score after one quarter.
“Us calling plays went out the window right off the bat. They’re quick with their hands. They’re quick with their feet. so, their anticipation is off the charts so it’s like the most simple, basic pass … you know, everything had to be perfect. Even when you beat one dude, they always had another athlete waiting there for you,” Langhurst said.
Richmond Heights plays Warren John F. Kennedy on Friday at 7 p.m. for a regional title. JFK beat Dalton, 75-55.
“I was proud of the way our guys competed. They could have easily hung their head. I didn’t necessarily have to reinforce that, but they continued to battle which is what we do every year until the end,” he said.
Junior Lucas Bordner had 16 points and 6 rebounds to lead Seneca East. Luke Mason added 8 points, 4 boards and a pair of steals.
“Lucas is a shot maker. He was kind of comfortable out there because he’s one of the best athletes in the area. It’s nice to see him kind of get going because we were just hoping for buckets, and he stepped up. Luckily, he was feeling it tonight and he got open and got a rhythm going,” Langhurst said.
Richmond Heights was equally strong inside and outside. The Spartans hit 10-of-16 from three-point range and another 22 field goals inside.
“I know they had a banner year. They had success and you know in these tournaments all you can do is come out and play. Sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes it hasn’t. Our guys are battle-tested,” Spartans head coach Quentin Rogers said.
Demarris Winters Jr. led the team with 22 points. Three other players had 9 points apiece as Richmond Heights built a 63-19 halftime lead.
“We take every opponent serious. To be honest, we don’t gauge one opponent different than another. We try to approach every game the same, stay focused and we came out with great energy, set the tone and took it from there.”
Seneca East played much better in the middle two quarters. accounting for 29 of its 37 total points.
Bordner hit three 3s in the second period and Keeno Ruffing added a basket and collected 6 rebounds.
The six seniors — Foos, Hines, Jake Bowerman, Lucas Hicks, Caden Fritz and Ruffing — left a lasting legacy including sectional and district championships as well as being part of the historic four-way tie for first place in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference.
“Every single one of those guys, one through six, just the way they brought energy and a buzz to the community. And the younger guys, the elementary and junior high guys that are watching them. I’m happy for the success that they’ve had and happy that they were able to move the program forward,” Langhurst said.
More than the record and 21 victories, Langhurst enjoyed the little things with his team.
“The games were great, but it was hanging with the guys and seeing how much they love being around each other. Practices on a Sunday morning can be kind of drag, but you’ve got a Luke Mason who gets excited on a lay-up line drill, or you’ve got a Blake Foos who competes in a mundane passing drill,” he said.
“That’s what I’m going to miss. We got some big shoes to fill. That’s a special group that are a joy to be around. They are going to be able to look up in the gym and see their class up there three different times on the banner and that’s something that’s going to bond them all.”
Box score
Richmond Heights 37 26 12 12 — 87
Seneca East 3 16 13 5 — 37
Richmond Heights: (16-9): Shots 33-52; 3-pt. shots 10-16 (Demarris Winters, Jr. 3, Dorian Jones 3, Braylen Salters 2, Chevy Dozier, Tyson Garner); Free throws 11-15; Rebounds 18 (Jeremy Wilson 4); Turnovers 4. Scoring: Braylen Salters 3 0 8, Demarris Winters, Jr. 9 1 22, DeErick Barber, Jr. 0 2 2, Hosea Steele, Jr. 4 1 9, Jeremy Wilson 4 1 9, Chevy Dozier 1 0 3, Dorian 9 0 21, Joery Emory 2 0 4, Tyson Garner 1 6 9.
Seneca East (21-6): Shots 13-41; 3-pt. shots 6-14 (Lucas Bordner 4, Aidan Hines, Luke Mason); Free throws 5-7; Rebounds 25 (Keeno Ruffing 6, Lucas Bordner 6); Turnovers 23. Scoring: Aidan Hines 1 2 5 Caden Fritz 1 2 4, Luke Mason 3 1 8, Lucas Bordner 6 0 16, Blake Foos 1 0 2, Keeno Ruffing 1 0 2.