W-MU boys storm back to beat VBC

WINFIELD - The second game of Saturday's doubleheader between Winfeild-Mt. Union and Van Buren County was just as exciting as the first. After trailing throughout the first half, the W-MU boys clawed back into the game to win their first game of the year, beating VBC 55-48.

There was no stopping VBC sophomore Jackson Manning in the first half. Manning found the hot hand early and scored 15 points in the first half, leading the Warriors to a 19-11 lead after the first quarter, and a 32-25 halftime advantage. W-MU's Cam Buffington had 14 to pace the Wolves.

The dynamic freshman duo of Buffington and Abram Edwards lifted the Wolves past the Warriors in the final two quarters. Edwards led the Wolves with 12 in the second half, and Buffington added 10, as the Wolves nearly doubled the Warriors up, winning the second half 30-16.

Buffington ended the night with 24 points to lead the Wolves. Edwards had 18 points and 11 rebounds.

'The freshmen really haven't been challenged throughout junior high,” said head coach Klay Edwards. 'It's a good growing experience, and those are the kind of games you like to be in.”

Brady Loyd added five for the Wolves. Andrew Brown scored four. Bryce Wade had three, and Jack Moody finished with one.

VBC head coach Fred Parsons said he saw improvements in his young team, which was led in scoring by a pair of sophomores. Parsons said his squad just made a few mental mistakes down the stretch.

'On key possessions when they were coming back, we took shots out of context,” Parsons said. 'We could have gotten what we wanted in the lane, but they'll come around on that.”

Manning finished the game with 19 points to lead VBC. Wyatt Mertens scored 11. Owen Loeffler and Lane Davis scored six apiece. Casey Yochum had four, and Dylan Richardson added two.