Feathers fly in West Valley

Photo by Paul Robeson

I’M BACK: Eagle Ethan Ostrom moves against Central Valley’s Seth Augusta (12) in a hard-fought game on Friday, Jan. 25 in West Valley. Ostrom had been side-lined due to a wrist injury.

Photo by Paul Robeson

DISGUSTED: Michael Ryan shows that he is disapointed as the game ends last Friday.

A hard-fought battle of the birds took place last Friday at West Valley. The Central Valley Falcons when talon-to-talon with the West Valley Eagles and came out victorious with a 54-50 win. The win for CV makes them 4-0 in league play and 17-2 for their season.

The game started with West Valley up 1-0 on a Jordan Smith free throw, and then the Falcons gained air under their wings and led for the rest of the game.

West Valley point guard Ethan Ostrom returned from a hand injury and he looked like he had never been away. Garhett Parent was back with 11 points for the game.

The standing-room-only crowd chanted back and forth across the gym as the game came down to the final minutes.

Ostrom had a 3-point shot with five seconds left in the first half to bring it to 24 behind CV’s 28. A Falcon shot a 30-foot shot which rolled around the rim and dropped in at the sound of the half-time buzzer.

The Eagles came close to the Falcons (by 2 points) when Jase Laughlin hit the basket, but the Falcons did not like that close of a score and dropped in two 3-point shots, late in the third quarter, to pull ahead again.

Michael Ryan drew Cochran’s fifth foul and shot two foul shots to come within three points. Central Valley had a 3-pint shot and then a drive put in another two points. Two foul shots made it 53-50 and then another foul shot made the final score 54-50 for CV.

Besides Parent’s 11 points, Ryan had 15, with nine rebounds, and Jordan Smith had nine points, eight rebounds.

Falcons had beaten West Valley two years ago during the Lehigh Classic but West Valley beat CV 51-50 in the Durham Tournament last December.

On Jan. 23, the West Valley boys’ basketball team beat Corning 48-44

Garhett Parent had 12 points, Michael Ryan and Jase Laughlin each put in 10 points for the Eagles. West Valley was down 20-13 at the half, but the Eagles came out in the second half and began their defensive game against Corning.