NAUGATUCK — The Tug Valley Panthers look like a team on a mission.
The Panthers (22-3) punched their 17th ticket to the boys’ state tournament on Thursday as they blew past visiting Huntington St. Joseph by a final score of 77-34 in a Class A Region IV Co-Final inside of a raucous gym in Naugatuck.
“Once again I was very happy with the crowd, like I’ve said before when they show up like that the kids get very excited,” longtime Tug coach Garland “Rabbit” Thompson said. “Another total team effort. We’re rolling right now and we’re ready to go dancing. I’m happy for our kids and our fans.”
The win for the Panthers was their 18th straight as they improved to 22-3 on the season and they were rewarded with the No. 2 seed in the Class A State Tournament. Tug Valley will open up tournament play against No. 7 seed Wahama (17-8) on Wednesday night at the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center in a 7:15 p.m.
“This a tough place to play. We knew that we were overmatched, we were just asking our guys to come out and play hard,” St. Joe coach Todd Maynard said. “In one game you never know what can happen. But they (Tug Valley) are just so balanced and complete.”
The Panthers raced out to a quick 9-2 lead after a lay-in from Buddy Marcum to start off the game but an old-fashioned three-point play by the Irish’s Grady Paynter cut the lead to 11-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Tug Valley proceeded to blow the game wide open in the second quarter as they tightened up on defense holding St. Joe to only four points while also catching fire on the offensive side posting 25 points in the period to take a 36-11 halftime lead.
“Our offense has been at a championship level all year, but the last few games our defense has been very good,” Thompson said. “They’re active, they’re talking, they’re helping and switching and all those good things. The defense sets the tone. And typically, championships are done with defense.”
It was more of the same in the second half as the Panthers outpaced the Irish 24-17 in the third quarter and then 17-6 in the fourth quarter as they cruised to the 43-point win.
Tug Valley had a balanced attack led by super sophomores Ashton Davis and Joey Gollihue who tossed in 17 points each and they were joined in double-figures by freshman Bryson Elia who came off the bench to chip in 10.
Senior Parker Davis was next with nine points, Marcum chipped in seven, and freshman PG Braydun Ferris tallied six.
Talented senior Caden Ehrim led the Irish with 19 points, 15 in the second half, while Isiah Sanders followed him with seven.
Coach Maynard, who is very familiar with the Tug Valley program going back to his days as the head coach at Tolsia, had high praises for the Panthers following the game.
“I’ve said this from the beginning of the year. I know James Monroe, we lost to them in the final four last year and they are a good team. But I don’t think anybody beats Tug,” coach Maynard said. “I think Tug wins the Class A state championship and the only way that Tug loses is if they basically beat their selves...This is my sixth year playing Tug in the section and region and this is the best team they’ve had.”
The game was a rematch of last year’s Region IV Co-Final as the Irish had eliminated Tug Valley in a tight 49-48 game. The Irish closed out the season with a final record of 13-12.
Score by Quarters
SJHS: 7 4 17 6 — 34
TVHS: 11 25 24 17 — 77
Scoring
SJ: C. Ehrim 19, I. Sanders 7, M. Reynolds 3, G. Paynter 3, J. Chen 2
TV: A. Davis 17, J. Gollihue 17, B. Elia 10, P. Davis 9, B. Ferris 6, B. Brewer 3, J. Wagoner 2, C. Brewer 2, K. Hale 2, C. Newsome 2