Late rally falls short as Eagles fall to Elyria, 74-68

Avon’s seven-game winning streak was halted Friday, but the Eagles didn’t go down without a fight.

Playing the last game of the regular season at Southwestern Conference foe Elyria, Avon found itself behind, 66-50, with 4 minutes, 18 seconds to play. However, the Eagles twice cut the margin to four points in the final seconds before finally falling, 74-68.

Elyria made only seven free throws in the game, but the Pioneers did so without a miss and all seven of the free throw attempts were in the fourth quarter, allowing the hosts to maintain their lead.

Avon, which finishes the regular season at 16-6 overall and 8-6 in SWC play, trailed 68-57, with 2:13 to play but ran off six consecutive points to cut it to 68-63 with 53 seconds remaining. The Pioneers then closed out the game by hitting all six of their free throws, including four by Tink Shelton.

Brooks Good, who had 12 points for Avon, scored with 23 seconds to go to make it 70-65, and when Joey Ziegler split two free throws seconds later after a steal, the margin with down to 70-66. Shelton then hit two more free throws with 17 seconds left, followed by a putback by Good to make it 72-68 with 2 seconds to play. Kendyll Compton rounded out the scoring with two from the line with a second on the clock.

Compton led all scorers with 29 points, including seven 3-pointers, with 27 coming in the first three quarters. Ziegler was tops for Avon with 16 points, followed by Gavyn Kittelberger with 13 and Good with 12.

The draw for the Division II tournament will be held Sunday, with the first round being either February 26 or March 3.