Malvern snaps Huskies’ 3-game win streak

The Huskies loaded up the bus and rolled into Malvern last Tuesday night riding the highs of a three-game win streak. Victories over Barnesville, Shenandoah and Steubenville Central doubled up the Huskies win total on the year in a span of just six days. However, the Malvern Hornets proved a mountain too tough to conquer for the now 6-15 Huskies.

The homestanding Hornets led 14-6 after one, but that lead would swell to 35-17 before the halftime intermission. For a team that prefers low scoring defensive affairs to compliment an offense that averages 47 points a game, an 18-point hole at the break is never a great sign. Especially when the opposing team is closing in on your nightly average through just two quarters of play.

Senior Bryson Kamarec led the Huskies in scoring with 16 points, and the Hornets certainly made him labor for those. A suffocating defensive performance for Malvern was seemingly elevated by an environment that was more than engaged for senior night festivities. Short baselines, and tight sidelines put a packed house of fans directly on top of the action, and the Huskies struggled at times stringing together healthy possessions in the small but raucous “Hornet’s Nest.”

Lance Smith was the only other Harrison player to reach double digits with 11. Senior Brady Hyre pitched in six, with freshman Kingston Smith adding five marks. The Hornets put four players into double numbers, led by senior Grady Barkley who pocketed 13. Cameron Good was right on his heels with 12 tallies.

Malvern rode out the comfortable lead in the second half, never letting Harrison get closer than 15 points in the final two quarters.

Against Steubenville Central last Monday night, the Huskies got a stellar effort out of Hyre who kept the Huskies in the contest against the Crusaders. Catholic Central put the clamps on Kamarec through three quarters, and Hyre filled the void. He drained a season best 22-points, good enough to lead all scorers in what was a season-sweeping 49-38 victory. Kamarec wasn’t held quiet for all four quarters however, as the versatile guard added 20 to Hyre’s career high in a rare supporting role. Of those 20, 15 came in the final frame. Hyre started the job, and Kamarec finished it, with the two combining for 42 of the Huskies 49 points on the night. Cooper Thompson with five, and Lance Smith with a bucket were the only other Huskies to scratch the book.

Harrison has one regular-season game remaining — a make-up home contest against Edison Feb. 23 — before postseason play begins Feb. 28 in Barnesville.