The senior helped spark the previously winless Cougars get off the snide after two grueling contests to open the season.
“It felt good,” Lane said of the offensive outburst. “We’re thankful for every game because we are lucky to even have a season. We still have a long way to go and have to get back into the gym and continue to practice as we prepare for bigger and better teams.”
OFF TO THE RACES
The Cougars controlled the game early, taking a 7-0 lead before Shanksville’s Zion Manthey stroked a triple with 4:17 remaining in the quarter.
Brock Weimer netted five of his 12 points in the quarter including a three for North Star.
North Star led 15-5 after one.
WELCOME BACK YODER
North Star increased its lead in the second quarter behind its pressure defense. The Cougars limited the Vikings to one shot on the defensive end of the floor and held a 33-12 advantage headed to the locker room.
A significant part of North Star’s defensive success came with the presence of Ethan Yoder, who was playing his first game of the season. He missed the first two contests because of COVID-19 protocols. The Cougars’ big man provided a spark on the boards and clogged the lane.
“We played a lot better,” North Star veteran head coach Randy Schrock said. “We’ve got to work really hard to get better. I think our freshmen are going to come along, but it was nice to have Yoder back for sure.”
FLOURISHING THIRD
The Cougars went on a 10-3 run to open the third and expand their lead. Lane recorded back-to-back buckets, as well as a 3-point play during the run, as North Star held a commanding 53-25 lead after three quarters.
Lane recorded five more points in the fourth before exiting. He is focused on helping the offense find a rhythm as the season progresses.
“We just have to get everybody up to speed,” he said. “There’s a lot of new faces. We have to catch everybody up with the offense and continue working as one.”
SEARCHING FOR SCORING
Luke Reedy paced Shanksville with 13 points. However, the Vikings struggled to find secondary scoring as they seek growth following a significant overhaul in their lineup.
“We are a team that really would have benefitted from having those extra three weeks of practice for that fundamental work,” Shanksville head coach Matt Long said. “It is just guys growing into roles. I have a lot of kids that I am expecting to step up that are younger. I see improvement in the JV games then they get to the varsity game and just speeds up and they aren’t ready. “I was happy we didn’t give up tonight. I want them to compete, bring the energy where we are doing stuff the right way and get better.”
UP NEXT
Shanksville (0-3) travels to Salisbury on Tuesday. North Star (1-3) visits Blacklick Valley on Tuesday and will look to build on Friday’s success. “We are looking toward every game hoping to stay after it, get better and develop some of these younger guys,” Schrock said.
Shanskville: Frazier 1 0 2, Reedy 5 2 13, Manthey 1 1 4, Klahre 1 0 2, Probst 3 0 6, C . Musser 2 0 4 . Totals: 13 3-5 31 . 3-point goals: Reedy 1, Manthey 1 North Star: Solarczyk 3 0 8, Lane 10 5 25, Bro . Weimer 5 0 12, CJ Biery 3 0 7, Yoder 2 3 7, Huzsek 1 0 2, J . Biery 1 0 2 . Totals: 25 8-11 63 . 3-point goals: Solarczyk 2, Bro . Weimer 2, CJ Biery 1
Shanksville 5 7 13 6 — 31 North Star 15 18 20 10 — 63