ELDRED- This past Friday night was nothing short of spectacular for basketball fans. Eldred was at home hosting Fallsburg in a rivalry matchup for an exciting fast paced game.

  Despite the clash of two schools from different Classes, the play proved to be incredibly competitive. The crowd was still buzzing from the JV matchup, making it hard to hear the warmups and starting lineups.

  With the game officially underway Eldred came out with the initial punch going on a 15-0 run led by the games leading scorer Trai Kaufmann and assisted by James Deyermond’s 10. 

  Fallsburg was getting great looks but the baskets just wouldn’t fall until the 2:50 minute mark when Nick Storm hit one of his six 3-point field goals of the contest.  As the first quarter came to an end with the Yellowjackets ahead 17-3 this game was looking like an early start to a blowout. 

  The start of the second quarter looked much like the first but with Fallsburg scoring several easy baskets in transition. The Comets showed a fighting spirit and went into the half trailing 34-24, still within reach. 

  With 16 minutes remaining in the game and not a single second to waste Fallsburg came out swinging hard after the break. Both teams traded baskets early, but it was the defensive intensity switch from the Comets that would push back against the Yellowjackets. 

  Eldred’s duo of Kaufmann and Deyermond continued to run up the score book, but the third quarter was all Nick Storms for the Comets who dropped 14 points including four, 3-point field goals by the 4 minute mark. This forced Eldred to call a timeout, resulting in a box-and-one switch on Storm to help the Yellowjackets hold onto their lead, ending the third quarter at 55-49 with one final quarter of play remaining.

As the final quarter was underway things got chippy from the play on the court. The energy was contagious, and even the fans were getting into it. The game reached a whole new level of competitiveness. Technical fouls were called, and everyone was on their feet as the game progressed. 

Fallsburg’s guards Donovan Hart and Daryl McPerson’s came out giving all they had going basket for basket trying to steal the lead back with Storm still being boxed out. Donovan Hart tallied 20 for the Comets, accompanied by Nick Storm with 19 and Daryl McPherson’s 15. 

Fallsburg’s McPherson would foul out in the fourth quarter and the Yellowjackets would go on one final run led by Trai Kaufmann who scored 12 of his 38-points in the fourth quarter. Kaufmann was assisted by James Deyermond who added six in the fourth and 29 overall carrying Eldred to a hard fought 73-64 victory.

  Bill Furler, head coach of the Yellowjackets, had nothing but great things to say about both clubs. “Hard fought game right there. They’re a good team. I told my guys don’t go by the record. We got out early, and I told my guys that they’re gonna keep fighting and so are we. Luckily every time that they made a run, we were able to answer back. We’re a tough team to cover down low with the size that we got and when number one’s playing like that it’s a world of difference. We have four junior starters and one senior. We’re undefeated in our class and with a win over a bigger Fallsburg school just adds to the credit we deserve. I’m proud of my guys and the fight they showed tonight there’s nothing more I could ask for.”