The Recorder on February 20, 2025
BY MARK PIFER • STAFF WRITER
Zach Armstrong (3) maneuvers past Bath County defenders.
MONTEREY — The guys from Highland made history Monday night.
The Rams scored 18 unanswered points over a five-and-a-half-minute stretch of the fourth quarter and turned away Bath County, 48-30, in a Pioneer District tournament, first-round game.
The victory not only carried the Rams into Tuesday’s semifinal, it booked the first Region C boys’ basketball berth in Highland High School school history.
“It means a lot,” said John Wagner, who led the winners with 17 points and seven rebounds. “It shows how we’ve grown as a team. We’ve seen progress every year and last year, we almost had it, but we fell short in this exact game. It means a lot to come back this year and beat them.”
The final score didn’t tell Monday’s true story.
When Luke Turner knocked down a three to open the fourth quarter and Braiden Mabe netted a pair of free throws with just over seven minutes left, the Chargers were within five, 30-25.
But the rest of the period was all Rams.
Soaring toward the rim, Elijah Good lays it up for two points.
Eli Moore had eight points and seven rebounds in the deciding quarter alone; Wagner added five points, Armstrong had three, Elijah Good contributed a basket, and Patton Hull knocked down two free throws.
Back-to-back assists from Armstrong and Hull stretched the lead to 16 with three minutes left and Highland led 48-25 before Bath County scored the final five points of the game.
Moore ended the night with 14 points and 12 rebounds; Armstrong added 10 points to nine assists; and Elijah Good had 10 boards for the Rams.
Turner had a 14-point, 11-rebound double double for Bath County; Issac Ingram had five points and Braiden Mabe grabbed seven rebounds before fouling out with five minutes left.
Highland won the battle on the boards, 37-32, while the Chargers were guilty of 25 turnovers to just 15 for the hosts.
The Rams made 11-of-25 free throw attempts, while Bath went to the line six times, converting three.
Bath County was coming off a Friday regular season finale when the team made 10 threes and led Narrows, the second seed in the district tournament, at the half.
Luke Turner takes a difficult fade-away shot as Patton Hull (11) leaps to defend for Highland. (Recorder photos by David Cockerham)
The difference in Monday’s game was Highland’s man-to-man defense, said BCHS coach Zach Woodzell.
“Narrows played us in a zone until the third quarter when they jumped to man and that’s when we kind of slowed down,” he said, referring to Friday’s game. “The coaches and I know that’s a struggle for Bath County at all levels, junior league, boys, girls. We struggle against the man (defense).”
The Rams stuck to their man-to-man all night on Monday.
“We finally woke up on defense tonight, that made the difference,” said Highland coach Thomas Moore.
Highland had swept Bath County in the regular season last year, but lost a Pioneer first-round game on its home court to the Chargers.
Neither of the senior tandem of Moore or Wagner needed that reminder.
“We remember, we definitely wanted to get back,” Moore said. “We definitely made ourselves happy tonight.”
Bath County’s Luke Turner and Highland’s Eli Moore jump center to begin Monday’s Pioneer District semi-final in Monterey.
Bath County, now 4-14, will close its season at home against Boys Home on Friday in a game that was added to the schedule earlier this week.
Rams fall in semifinals
Langston Cook scored 33 points on Tuesday, leading Parry McCluer past the Rams in the district semifinals, 72-35.
The Fighting Blues (17-4), the Pioneer regular season champions, got off to a fast start, leading 15-3 at the quarter break and 32-15 at the half.
Braedyn Houck joined Cook in double digits with 14 points for the winners.
Wagner led Highland with 15 points and nine rebounds, while Good added 12 points and 14 rebounds. Armstrong had five assists and Hull added three steals.
The Rams (13-8) will play at Eastern Montgomery on Friday night in the district tournament consolation game. The Mustangs (13-9) lost at Narrows in a Tuesday semifinal, 60-43.
Luke Turner goes airborne for a dunk attempt. (Recorder photos by David Cockerham)
Highland will be on the road next Tuesday for a first-round game in the Class 1, Region C tournament.
Monday’s boxscore
• Bath County (30): Zayne Hall 0, Issac Ingram 5, Cooper Lowry 2, Braiden Mabe 4, Owen Perdue 3, Dillan Royer 0, Luke Turner 14, Miguel Rosado 0, Zabier Savage 2, Bryer Nicely 0
• Highland (48): Zach Armstrong 10, Elijah Good 5, Terrance Hill 0, Owen Honaker 0, Patton Hull 2, Preston Jaccard 0, Chase Lupo 0, Eli Moore 14, Steven Rogers 0, John Wagner 17, Levi Warner 0
• Halftime: Highland 18, Bath County 15
• 3-point goals: Bath County 5 (Turner 4, Perdue 1); Highland 3 (Armstrong 2, Wagner 1)
Tuesday’s boxscore
• Highland (35): Zach Armstrong 5, Elijah Good 12, Terrance Hill 0, Owen Honaker 0, Patton Hull 2, Eli Moore 1, Steven Rogers 0, John Wagner 15, Levi Warner 0
Eli Moore rises above the rim for a dunk attempt against Bath County.
• Parry McCluer (72): Langston Cook 33, Nathan Glass 8, Sam Griffin 0, Ellis Hill 0, Brayden Holdren 3, Brendan Holdren 0, Braedyn Houck 14, Peyton Montgomery 0, Jamier Jordan 3, Quentin Rosser 8, Kyle Smals 3, Parker Snider 0
• Halftime: Parry McCluer 32, Highland 15
• 3-point goals: Highland 0; Parry Mc- Cluer 7 (Rosser 2, Houck 2, Cook 1, Bra. Holdren 1, Jordan 1)