By Dan Harney
HAGERSTOWN — Seton Catholic came into this season with high expectations. The Cardinals, members of the Pioneer Conference, won 1A Sectional 56 last season for the fifth straight year and returned ten players from their tournament roster.
The Cardinals entered their game against the Hagerstown Tigers on Friday with victories over three Tri-Eastern Conference members, looking for number four. They stayed perfect against TEC teams, completely dominating the Tigers by the score of 73-49.
The game was evenly played in the first period.
Both teams played good defense, making their opponent work for good shots. The Cardinals hit a high percentage of their attempts, including two three-pointers. The Tigers shot poorly and trailed 13-6 after one quarter.
The Tigers pulled to with 13-8 on a Brady McMillan basket 15 seconds into the second quarter before the Cardinals started to pull away.
The Tigers tried to take away the paint and the Cardinals burned them from outside. Jaden Swiderick tossed in 11 points in the period, including three long-range three-pointers to help extend the Cardinal lead to 36-19 at halftime.
Swiderick hit his fourth three-pointer in the third quarter and the Cardinals went back inside. Sam Brenneke and Jake Moynihan combined for 12 points and Moynihan dominated the boards. Cody Swimm and Brady McMillan were the only productive Tigers offensively and the Cardinal lead grew to 25 points after three quarters at 54-29. The Cardinals increased their lead to as many as 36 points, when they doubled up the Tigers at 72-36, with 3:27 remaining in the contest. The Tigers closed the game on a 13-1 run, but it was too little, too late.
Sam Brenneke scored 23 points to lead the Cardinals. Jake Moynihan had a double-double with 17 points and 20 rebounds. Jaden Swiderick added 15.
Cody Swimm led the Tiger scoring with 16 points, Brady McMillan was next with nine points.
Tiger Head Coach Chad Romack said that the Tigers had a relapse.
“It was like our first game of the year with Jay County,” Romack said. “Our shots weren’t falling early, and it snowballed on us. We get frustrated and then we stopped playing good defense and they were hitting their shots and the game got away from us. It is disappointing. We expected to play well, but instead we struggled. Their big kid inside (Jake Moynihan) really changed the complexion of what we could do. He is so strong. If we sagged on him, their three-point shooters hurt us. We will rally the troops and go back to work.”
The Tigers will be in action Wednesday and Thursday in the Edinburgh Tournament. Their first-round opponent will be Jac-Cen-Del, with a 4 p.m. tip-off, Wednesday, Dec. 26.
SETON CATHOLIC (7-3) 13 36 54 73
Brenneke 7-10 8-10 23, V. Falcone 1-2 0-0 2, Moynihan 5-11 7-13 17, Deitsch 1-3 0-0 2, Berger 2-6 0-0 5, Swiderick 5-9 1-3 15, Heyne 1-2 0-0 2, Royer 2-3 2-5 6, L. Falcone 0-0 0-0 0, J. Falcone 0-0 1-2 1.
Totals 24-46 19-31 73
HAGERSTOWN (2-4) 6 19 29 49
Favorite 1-1 1-2 3, Swimm 6-13 4-8 16, Sherrow 1-1 0-0 2, McMillan 4-5 1-2 9, Romack 2-8 0-0 4, Dale 1-3 0-0 2, Himelick 2-4 2-4 6, Roman 1-1 0-0 3, Parsons 0-6 0-0 0, Howard 1-5 0-0 2.
Totals 19-47 9-18 49
3-point goals – Seton Catholic 6 (Swiderick 4, Brenneke, Berger), Hagerstown 2 (Romack, Roman). Rebounds – Seton Catholic 32 (Moynihan 20), Hagerstown 18 ({Parsons 5). Total fouls – Seton Catholic
18, Hagerstown 26 (Fouled out Howard, Technical foul McMillan) Turnovers – Seton Catholic 19, Hagerstown 15.