Trojans return to court, face Scott

After a 15-day break to savor its opening win – and perhaps heal up – Findlay High's boys basketball team returns to the court this week. The Trojans will host Toledo Scott today at the FHS Gymnasium, then open their final season in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference with a game at Toledo St. John's on Friday. Findlay opened the season with a dramatic 54-51 win over Springfield back on Nov. 23. The Trojans squandered a nine-point lead in the final four minutes, but won it when senior guard Jake Bishop nailed a long 3-pointer at the buzzer. Luke Weihrauch led Findlay with 19 points in that game, Bishop ended up with 17 and 6-foot-5 junior Will Cordonnier had 10. Findlay was a bit shorthanded for its opener, with 6-foot-4 sophomore Ryan Montgomery and junior guard Javonte Hill sidelined with nagging injuries. Senior guard Chandler Parker was also not yet in uniform for that game. Toledo Scott will bring a 2-1 record into the contest, the first between the two schools since December of 2009. Scott lost its opener 43-42 to Toledo St. Francis, but has since posted wins over Toledo Woodward (64-29) and Columbus East (53-38). Ahmad Boone, a 5-11 junior, has been one of Scott's leading scorer so far. First-year head coach Christopher Weakley also welcomed back 6-6 senior Hazekiah, 6-6 junior Carnel Smith II, and 6-3 junior forwards Daryl Barnett and Mario Peters from a team that went 8-13 last season. The Bulldogs lost their No. 1 player, though, when Romel Hightower transferred to Toledo Start. A 6-4 senior, Hightower averaged 17.5 points and 13.3 rebounds in being named the 2021-22 Toledo City League's Player of the Year. On Friday, Findlay will enter the imposing Titan Dome at Toledo St. John's, home of the team that has won the most TRAC basketball championships – six, one more than current king pin Lima Senior. Ed Heintschel, Ohio's fourth winningest prep coach (725-224) built the program and long-time assistant and current head coach Mike Schoen (48-24) has kept the winning ways going thanks to players like C.J. Hornbeak. One of the top players in Toledo and a rare four-year varsity starter for St. John's, Hornbeak pumped in 28 points in St. John's opener, a 65-63 win over 2022 state runner-up Gilmour Academy. The Titans, who also own a 59-36 win over Woodward, have also gotten double-figure scoring from 6-3 juniors Joseph Taylor and Jaylen Murphy. Findlay's girls basketball team is also in action today, kicking off a four-game road swing with a nonleague contest at St. Marys Memorial. The Trojans (1-2) then have Three Rivers Athletic Conference games Thursday at Lima Senior, Monday at Fremont Ross and Dec. 15 at Toledo St. Ursula. Findlay's hockey team is also headed into league competition, and it will be against two of the top teams in the Northwest Hockey Conference. On Friday, the Trojans will face three-time state champion Toledo St. Francis (2011, 2015, 2021) at 7 p.m. at The Cube; Saturday the Trojans, who started the season 6-0 and are 6-1 overall, take on 2012 and 2014 state champion Sylvania Northview with a 4 p.m. puck drop at Tam-O-Shanter Arena. Findlay's swim teams will compete against Perrysburg Thursday at UF's Sink Natatorium, and the FHS wrestling teams hit the mats this weekend, with the girls team competing in the Hamilton Tournament on Friday and the boys team entered in the Bucyrus Invitational on Saturday. Thursday (girls) and Friday (boys) also brings a second full round of Blanchard Valley Conference basketball teams. A third round will be played next week before most teams take a break from league play over the holidays. UF SPORTS University of Findlay senior sprinter Josh Verhoff has been named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. Verhoff ran a school-record time of 211.61 in winning the 200-meter dash at the Oiler Opener on Saturday. That time, so far, is the second fastest in the nation among NCAA Division II runners. SCHEDULE Tuesday's Events GIRLS BASKETBALL Findlay at St. Marys Memorial Ada at Riverdale Cory-Rawson at Vanlue (BVC) Carey at Wynford (N10) Liberty-Benton at Columbus Grove Hardin Northern at Van Buren Elmwood at Fostoria (NBC) Fort Jennings at Leipsic (PCL) North Baltimore at Holgate Seneca East at Upper Sandusky (N10) BOYS BASKETBALL Toledo Scott at Findlay Pandora-Gilboa at Kalida (PCL) WRESTLING Carey at Bluffton Columbus Grove at Paulding MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL Saginaw Valley at Findlay, 7 p.m.