The Hartville Eagles are now just one win away from winning back-to-back state championships and completing a perfect 30-0 season after they won their Class 3 state semifinals battle today at Hammons Student Center.
Hartville held the Lift for Life Academy Charter Hawks to just nine points in the first half and set off the mercy clock in the fourth quarter on their way to a 58-21 victory.
The Eagles will now take on a 27-2 Monroe City squad in the state championship game at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 13 inside the JQH Arena in Springfield. The Panthers defeated Summit Christian Academy in overtime of their state semifinals contest, 42-35.
Though the Hawks entered the game with a .500 record, the same team who beat a 24-2 Thayer program just one week earlier, used their speed to keep the game tied at four three minutes into the contest.
Hartville responded only as they know how, putting together a 10-0 run to close out the quarter.
At the end of the frame, Braden Branstetter forced a turnover. Eli Cook, who scored five points in the first quarter, assisted Brady Ward on an inbound play with .6 seconds on the clock as Ward hit the jump shot for a 14-4 lead.
Branstetter completely took over the game in the second quarter as he hit two 3-pointers and scored 10 points.
Hartville first had an 8-0 run and finished with a 7-0 run for a 35-9 lead at halftime.
The Eagles’ defense forced the Hawks to make just 4-of-18 (22.2%) from the field as they missed eight 3-point attempts. They also turned the ball over 12 times.
Branstetter would add another five points in the third quarter as four different Eagles scored to help Hartville open up 31-point lead, setting up the mercy clock to be turned on at the start of the final frame.
The Eagles made six free throws in the fourth and Jacob Ballard came off the bench to hit a contested shot to convert a 3-point play. The Eagles’ starters were greeted with applause as they exited the game.
Hartville made 18-of-33 shots (54.5%) from the field and 16-of-20 (80%) shots from the free throw line in their 37-point win.
Meanwhile, the Hawks made just 9-of-33 (27.3%) shots from the field. They also made just 1-of-14, 3-point shots as they scored seven points or less in all four quarters.
Hartville’s defense did force 17 turnovers and they had 21 of the team’s 29 rebounds. They won the rebounding margin, 29-12.
Branstetter led the Eagles with 25 points, three steals and two rebounds while Ward tallied 10 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Eric Wilson came off the bench to score six points with two rebounds; Cook had five points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals; Ryce Piper had four points, five rebounds, four assists, one block and one steal; Dalton O’Dell scored three points with one rebound, one assist and one steal; Cody Mahan had two points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals; and Ballard had three points. Wyatt Williams added two late rebounds.
