It was Senior Night at the Jefferson High gym on Feb. 14. The boisterous crowd honored two senior girls, Erica Shields and Cameron Toney, playing in their final home basketball game; and five boys, Tyson Lee, Kellen Meredith, Wyatt Geir, Hunter Stevens and Jed Williams. Thank you, seniors, for your dedication to Panther basketball; it has been a pleasure watching all of you and an honor reporting on the progress you’ve all made on the court.
As for the actual basketball action, Jefferson took on Broadwater that evening. The boys’ squad has lost a bunch of very tight contests this season — and this would be another. Tyson Lee started the game with a 2-point basket and followed with a 3-pointer to put the Panthers up early. Buckets by Kellen Meredith and Tyzer Zody made it 9-5, then Zody hit a three to make it 14-8. A block by Wyatt Geier set up a quarter ending shot by Zody to give the Panthers a 16-10 edge.
Hunter Stevens put the Panthers up 20-13 in the second period, but then the momentum shifted to the Bulldogs, as they put in 6 straight points to pull to 20-19. At the half, the score was knotted at 22. In the opening minutes of the third period, Zody stole the ball and scored, 26-24, then hit a three to put the Panthers up 29-28. Tyler Frydenlund made it 31-28, and a pair of free throws by Stevens made it 36-31.
