Zack Vencill cracks 1,000 point mark as his team rolls to sectional final

The opening round of the boys D-II sectional basketball tournament did not disappoint on Tuesday. Edgewood overcame a surging West Branch defense for a 67-60 victory. The Warriors from Beloit came out early with a hot hand, sinking shots and pressuring their way to a quick 16-8 lead.

“They stunned us a little at first. Luckily, we sucked it up. The kids did it themselves. We worked our way thru it.”

Edgewood Coach John Bowler

Junior forward Logan Kray led a second-quarter surge that saw the Ashtabula Warriors outscore their opponent, 20-11. Twice he drove to the inside, drawing fouls for the coveted “and-1” conversion. He finished with a game-high 22 points, going 7-for-9 at the FT line. Kray finished with an all-around effort, tacking on a critical quick-thinking pass that led to another score, helping his team regain the lead at halftime, 28-27.

“We are passing the ball better than we have ever passed the ball. That’s going to lead into wins.”

Bowler on his team’s key to success

Another thing that leads to wins – consistent scoring. For Edgewood, a lot of that comes back to senior Zack Vencill who reached the 1,000-point mark for his career in the game. He entered needing just 13-points to get there. Something his coach says weighed heavily on his mind as the regular season concluded last Friday.

“I love it. It’s big-time pressure. Tournament game – get your thousand points… he did a great job. And he didn’t force the ball. He let the game come to him.”

Bowler on Vencill’s accomplishment, which he says he predicted after promoting him to the varsity squad as a freshman

Edgewood’s season will continue with another home matchup in a sectional final this Friday versus West Geauga. The game has additional meaning for the Warriors, as they seek to avenge a 62-52 loss on the road back in early January.