Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022
ALTOONA-MIDWAY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
CHEROKEE – Southeast High School recorded a pair of victories over Altoona-Midway High School in a Three Rivers League doubleheader played here Tuesday night.
Southeast notched a 69-42 victory in the boys’ contest, following a 51-35 win by the Lady Lancers in the girls’ matchup.
AMHS will return home to the friendly confines of Milo Peterson Gymnasium on Friday when the host Pleasanton in another TRL twinbill. It will also be Altoona-Midway’s 2022 Homecoming.
AMHS Boys
The Altoona-Midway Jets (2-10 overall, 1-3 in TRL) knew heading into Tuesday’s matchup they were facing a very athletic Southeast squad that liked utilize an aggressive, up tempo style of play. But knowing what they going up against – and doing something to equalize it – proved to be too different things.
Southeast had its way on both sides of the ball, especially early, building a lead of 30 points before the Jets regrouped and cut the lead to final score of 69-42.
“We came out knowing that they were athletic and would bring the pressure,” said AMHS head coach Lane Huffman. “I really thought we were mentally prepared for what they were going to do. However, when we stepped on the court, it took us a little too long to settle in.
“Rushed shots and weak passing plagued us in the first half. By the time we started to handle pressure, they had stretched the lead to 30,” Huffman added. “We knocked down shots in the second half as well. Once we start playing two solid halves of basketball on the same night, we’re going to be alright.”
The Jets got a fine offensive performance from junior post man Andy Tiger, who led the squad with 14 points. Senior point guard Jackson Ashmore also reached double figures, finishing with 10.
“Jackson passed the ball well tonight and Andy finished around the rim a little better so that is a duo we’re going to utilize moving forward,” Huffman said.
Rounding out the scoring for the Jets were Jacob Meigs and Dalton Smith with five points apiece, Chase Nalley and Joey Lamendola with three points each, and William Stackhouse with two.
“We are happy to get back to our home court Friday,” Huffman said. “We’re going to spend the next two days preparing for a homecoming win. While our record is not where we have aimed, the players on this team have put in the work. We have a chance to balance our record, we just need one win to get it rolling.
AMHS Girls
Once again, the Altoona-Midway girls (2-9, 1-2) went into a game missing some regular starters and without a bench. And once again, the Lady Jets refused the wave the white flag, battling Southeast for four full quarters in the 51-35 loss, despite having just two players and their manager on the court at the final buzzer.
The Lady Lancers led 8-2 after the first period and 20-13 at halftime. But things got really interesting when the short-handed Lady Jets got into foul trouble in the third period.
“We got into foul trouble early in the second half and put our manager, Alyssa Relph, in uniform and eventually into the game,” explained AMHS head coach Randy Almond. “We played the majority of the fourth quarter with just four on the court due to fouls, and finished with three, due to an injury to Kyra O'Connor, who had a great game on the boards. We got some good experience for freshman Lexi Lopeman and Autumn Raymond.”
Mariah Stackhouse, fresh off of an all-tournament performance last week in the Uniontown Midseason Classic, continued her stellar play for the Lady Jets. Stackhouse finished the night with 28 points and 14 rebounds, including 18 points in the second half.
The only other AMHS players to reach the scoring column were Autumn Raymond, who netted three points in the second quarter, and Ava Hufford, who tallied four points in the third period. Both Raymond and Hufford eventually fouled out.
“Ava did a great job running the offense and breaking the press,” Almond said. “She contributed four points, six steals, four rebounds and four assists before fouling out early in the fourth.
O'Connor had 11 rebounds, two steals, four assists and several tie ups before leaving the game due to injury in the final stanza, leaving the Lady Jets to finish the game with only a freshman (Lopeman), their manager (Relph) and Stackhouse on the court.
“I was very proud of the way the girls battled and never gave up,” Almond noted. “I believe that ‘never quit attitude’ will get them far in life, well beyond the basketball courts.”