Cougars win sectional
Eller lights up the scoreboard
By Greg Hoffman Contributing sportswriter

Sectional title was long time coming Carroll boys basketball team had a police and fire escort Saturday night after winning the school's first ever boys basketball sectional title. Families and fans greeted the team upon their arrival at the school and a celebration party continued until well after midnight. Team members and cheerleaders are (l-r): Front - Water boys Jaran Bush and Colin Hodson, cheerleaders Cally Ayres, Aubree Herron, Brooke Bosley, Katie Pearson and Lorelei Seip, and water boy Luke Atkisson. Back - Jay Hodson, Brady Wiles, Coach Jeff Hodson, Ethan Glascock, Assistant Coach Nick Beaver, Chandler Keown, Riley Eller, Principal Charles Huckstep, Kevin Ives, Adam Tussinger, Brad Benson, Carson Spesard, Riley Johnson, Justin Brown, Assistant Coach Julie Bush, Drew Yoder, Adam Spesard, Primmer Zook, Jacob Craig, Jason Hazel, Kyle Geheb, Assistant Coaches Tom Allen and Billy Atkisson, and Athletic Director Shaun Rose. Bill Stauffer photo

Riley Eller's NBA trey with 10 seconds left in the championship game of the Class 2A Fountain Central Sectional gave the 10-12 Cougars their biggest win in the school's 46- year history - a sectional title. The Cougars defeated the Seeger Patriots (18-4) 56-54 in the first meeting ever between the two schools.

The last sectional championship by a community that makes up Carroll Consolidated School Corporation was Flora, which won the 1950 Delphi Sectional.

"This is a great feeling," said seven-year Cougar Coach Jeff Hodson. "These communities have been waiting for a long time for this moment. Since I came here I knew we had zero sectionals. The kids knew it and some of their dads played here and my coaching staff played here."

Seeer led most of the night and looked to have the game under control with an 8 to 2 advantage early. They were up 17-12 when Adam Spesard hit a two-pointer and Carson Spesard hit a three-pointer at the horn to tie it at 17 after one. With Carroll down 21-19 in the second quarter, a threepointer by Eller

Cougars put Carroll on top briefly at 22- 21. Seeger went up 24-22 and Adam Tussinger tied the game at 24, but from here the Patriots went on a 13 to 6 run to go up 37-30 at the half.

Carroll and Seeger played even in the third. Each team had 12 points and the Patriots led 49- 42 after three. Up by 7, Seeger started working the clock. A Jason Hazel trey pulled Carroll to within 4 at 51- 47 and with 4:30 left Carroll was down 53-47 at the 3:45 mark. Eller's three cut Seeger's lead in half to 53-50, but a Seeger free throw had them up 54-50 with 2:45 left. Another trey by Eller with 1:45 remaining closed the gap to one at 54- 53. Seeger came down the court and missed a short jumper. Tussinger rebounded and Carroll called time out with 49 seconds left to set up Eller's winning basket. The Patrios did have a chance for the win, but their three-point attempt was short and left.

Seeger did not have an answer for Eller all night. This was his coming out party and he was not going to be denied. He played the most minutes in a game since returning from his ACL injury two weeks ago. He led all scorers with a season high 21 points on 7 of 9 shooting (.777) on three-point attempts and handed out 5 assists. Hazel had 11 points on 3 of 4 shooting from behind the arch and 3 assists. Jacob Craig had 8 points and 7 rebounds and Tussinger added 7 points and 6 rebounds.

Carroll was 11 of 18 (.579) on threes and 22 of 48 (.449) overall while Seeger was 6 of 20 (.300) on threes and 20 of 43 (.465) overall from the field. Carroll's defense held Seeger to 6 of 19 (.316) from the field in the second half.

There were several records either tied or set individually and team. Eller set records for best three-point field goal percent over 5 shots in a sectional game going 7 of 9 (old record was set by Josh Green vs. Sheridan when he hit 5 of 7 (.714), on March 6, 1998), most three point field goals made, 7, in a sectional game (old record 6 set by Kris Kidwell vs. McCutcheon on March 5, 1993. The team tied the record for most threepoint field goals made in a sectional game, 11 (set twice by the 1992-1993 team on March 2, 1993, vs. Central Catholic and March 5, 1993, vs. McCutcheon.

"A special thanks to the cheerleaders for showing great school spirit during sectional week," said Coach Hodson. "We appreciated the work that went into the hallways and the bus decorating. The enthusiasm the cheerleaders, student body and all the Carroll fans demonstrated really made a huge impact on our historic sectional championship."

Next up for the Cougars is a trip to Tipton for the Class 2A Regional. Carroll will play Northfield (14-8) at 12 noon Saturday. Northfield is coached by Moe Smedley who coached the Cougars from 1982 through 1987. His record was 54-51 and his record at Northfield is 45-45, with an overall record of 361-284 in 29 years of coaching. This will be the first meeting between the schools.