YS Bulldogs derailed by Trojans

• By Lauren Heaton
• Published: March 12, 2009

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The Bulldogs went into the second round of Division IV sectional tournament play as the underdog against the Southeastern Trojans on Friday, March 6, and put up a fight worthy of their toothy mascot. But the Trojans’ insurmountable height won them a 61–58 victory ticket to the sectional championship game against Fort Loramie this week at the University of Dayton. The Bulldogs end their season 13–11.

Yellow Springs bucked to control the first three quarters of Friday’s game at Vandalia Butler High School against the second seed Trojans, who are also ranked fifth in the Division IV state poll. The Bulldogs came in with all the confidence their upset of third-seed Bethel in the second round had afforded the previous week. And they used it to hold Southeastern down (11–2) while they forced sloppy passing and turnovers and showed the unparalleled artistry of Devon Freeman’s fake jumper in the third quarter, a whirligig swisher by Ryan Newsome and many quick riffs and breaks from Ian Wimberly as point guard.

But things began to unravel for the Bulldogs in the final minutes of the game. With four minutes left on the clock and the crowd alternating cheering with booing in unsportsman-like manner, the Bulldogs missed a high pressure pass to let the Trojans in on a seven-point jag that swept Yellow Springs under 58–55 for the first time in the game. Yellow Springs began a fouling stall that preyed on Southeastern’s free throwing disaster and took the teams to 60–55, Trojans. With 16 seconds left, Kevin Sikes-Gilbert focused on a singlehanded attempt at a clutch three-pointer and scored to bring the Bulldogs within two points. But with seven seconds to go, Southeastern made one more foul shot, and the Bulldogs could not repeat their successful play.

Devon Freeman led the Bulldogs with 14 points, and Raphael Allen had 12.

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