Lafayette hands Bishop LeBlond second loss, girls roll to victory
It was a quiet night for high school sports in St. Joseph, as bitterly cold weather kept many indoors. However, one highly anticipated matchup pressed on, as Lafayette hosted Bishop LeBlond in a Class 3 vs. Class 4 showdown.
Lafayette girls entered the game ranked No. 8 in the latest Missouri Basketball Coaches Association poll, carrying plenty of confidence. LeBlond, adjusting to new challenges and battling injuries, struggled to keep pace. The Fighting Irish dominated from start to finish, securing a 44-19 victory.
On the boys' side, the contest was much more competitive. LeBlond came in at 21-1, with its only loss dating back to Dec. 7 against Mid-Buchanan. Lafayette, despite being below .500, has a history of peaking near district play.
The game got off to a slow start, with neither team scoring for more than three minutes. Trey Icke broke the drought with a reverse layup, giving LeBlond the first points. Lafayette answered immediately with an Antonio Williams three-pointer.
The lead changed hands multiple times early, as Jacob Winklebauer finished inside for the Golden Eagles before Daryan May responded with another three, putting the Fighting Irish up 6-4. Lafayette built a 10-4 advantage, but LeBlond closed the quarter strong. Icke drained a three in the final minute to tie the game at 12 heading into the second.
LeBlond briefly took control when Ganon Sowell capitalized on a turnover, stopping in transition and knocking down a three-pointer for a 17-14 lead. Lafayette responded quickly, as Jodell Redman powered through the paint later on to put his team back in front, 18-17.
From there, Lafayette’s defense took over, holding LeBlond scoreless for more than two and a half minutes. The Fighting Irish carried a 30-26 lead into halftime.
The second half remained tight, with Lafayette unable to extend the margin beyond four points for much of the third quarter. That changed when the Fighting Irish stretched the lead to 40-34, maintaining control the rest of the way. Lafayette held off LeBlond’s late push to secure a 64-58 victory, pulling back to .500 on the season. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles dropped to 21-2 overall.
