In the final game of his high school career, West Union senior Trae Grooms led the Dragons with 22 points in their 79-56 district tournament defeat at Minford on February 21. (Photo by Mark Carpenter)
By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The 2024-25 season has been a much-improved for the West Union Dragons boys varsity basketball squad under the guidance of first-year head coach Adam Barr. Coming off a one-win season, the Dragons posted seven victories this winter, including a win over Wellston in a Division V district tournament play-in game. Working with their fourth head coach in four seasons, that district victory earned West Union the dubious task of a district quarterfinal contest on the home court of #1 seeded and state-ranked Minford Falcons on Friday, February 21.
The Falcons came into Friday night’s game on a wave of success, an 11-game winning streak, defeating their opponents by an average of over 20 points per outing and that hot streak carried over into the first quarter action with the Dragons. The Falcons erupted for 27 first-quarter points, draining six three-point shots in the process. That 27-7 lead after one quarter proved insurmountable for the Dragons.
The Falcons kept up the three-point barrage in the second stanza with four more three-pointers and though the West Union offense, behind seniors Trae Grooms and Gavin Jarvis, totaled 19 points, the visitors still trailed at the half, 53-26.
Minford’s Kade Glockner hit six triples in the game, two of those in the third period, as the Falcons continued to roll, leading 73-41 after three on their way to the eventual 79-56 victory and berth in the district semifinals.
With the season-ending defeat, West Union finished the year with an overall record of 7-16. In the loss they were led in scoring by the aforementioned duo of Grooms and Jarvis, who tallied 22 and 21 points respectively, with Jarvis hitting five three-pointers. It was the final high school game for both, along with fellow senior Darius Davis.
The Falcons were paced by Glockner’s 20 points, with Miles Montgomery hitting four threes and adding 16. As a team, Minford fired in a total of 14 three-point goals.
West Union
7 19 15 15 —56
Minford
27 26 20 6 —79
W. Union (56): Rowe 0 1-2 1, Daley 0 2-4 2, Jarvis 8 0-0 21, Knox 3 0-0 8, Flaugher 1 0-0 2, Grooms 9 4-6 22, Team 21 7-12 56.
Minford (79): Glenn 4 1-2 10, Glockner 7 0-0 20, Reeder 1 0-2 2, Montgomery 6 0-0 16, Borland 1 0-0 2, Cordle 1 0-0 3, Shoemaker 4 4-4 14, Kayser 6 0-0 12, Team 30 5-8 79.
Three-Point Goals:
W. Union (7) – Jarvis 5, Knox 2
Minford (14) – Glenn 1, Glockner 6, Montgomery 4, Cordle 1, Shoemaker 2
