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Sports

Annandale Defeats Westfield in Thriller, 73-71

Atoms use 24-10 run in third to advance to second round of Northern Region tournament.

Annandale senior D’Angelo Boyce, and his 17 points per game, was nowhere to be found in the first half of the Northern Region first round game against Westfield.

But when the third quarter began, the Atoms jumped out on defense forcing a few turnovers, and Boyce took advantage, scoring seven points quickly in those opening minutes to help Annandale open up an 11-3 run that put them on top 41-36.

That run got the student section into the game to combat Westfield’s fans and helped will Annandale to a 73-71 victory.

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“Just the defensive intensity I brought,” said Boyce of his third quarter. “We went full-court, man-to-man, and my coaches told me to keep my head up, get back on defense and don’t worry too much about offense. And he said my defense turns into my offense, so that’s what I did in the third quarter.”

It was a story of two guys carrying their offenses in the first half. Annandale senior and Patriot District Player of the Year Karl Ziegler carried the load for the Atoms, scoring 18 of his team’s 30 points. Westfield junior Quinten Basil scored 11 of his team’s 33, although he had more help with senior David Aurora and junior Zach Elcano each scoring six.

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“[Karl’s] always good,” Boyce said. “He’s a forward/guard, so he helps on the rebounds and on the perimeter, so he’s always a threat.”

“D’Angelo and Melvin [Robinson] weren’t giving us too much. Karl especially carried us through the first half,” said Annandale coach Anthony Harper. “We got [Melvin and D’Angelo] to step up in the second half.”

Annandale didn’t look at possibility of losing their 66-57 lead with three minutes remaining, but Westfield found a surge from Elcano, Basil and sophomore Chauncey Beckett. The Bulldogs cut the score to 68-67 with 1:30 remaining. After Annandale went up 72-69 with 22.6 seconds remaining, Westfield cut the lead back to one point with 3.5 seconds remaining.

Robinson was fouled on the inbounds play and had the pressure of making at least on free throw on his shoulders after missing his only two attempts. He made the first, but missed the second.

Westfield grabbed the rebound, but couldn’t sink a miracle full-court heave and saw their season end in that moment.

Ziegler led the Atoms with 27 points, draining all six of his free throw attempts. Boyce added 14, Robinson added 11 and juniors Tyler Schwartz and Monte McCarthy added eight and six points.

Elcano and Basil each scored 20 for the Bulldogs. Junior Mark Gibson added 10, Aurora scored nine and Beckett added seven.

Annandale will play Mount Vernon, a team they have lost to three straight times in the regional tournament, in the second round on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

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