Perryville ran into a team Friday night that showed why it has been one of the area’s most consistent winners this season.
Despite a strong effort and stretches of solid defense, the Pirates struggled to find offensive rhythm in a 63-26 loss to Scott City on Feb. 13 at the Perryville Middle School gymnasium. Perryville fell to 9-13 on the season, while Scott City improved to 19-4, including an 83-80 loss to Sikeston (22-2) on Feb. 14.
Scott City set the tone early, jumping out to a 16-5 lead after the first quarter and extending it to 37- 16 by halftime. The Rams continued to build separation in the third period, outscoring Perryville 22-10 to put the game out of reach.
Perryville coach Eli Sample said the Pirates’ effort never wavered, even as shots refused to fall.
“As far as the score in comparison to how the game went, I was proud of my boys’ effort,” Sample said. “They’re a good basketball team. I thought we competed well against them. We just didn’t make shots like we do on occasion, and they were able to take advantage of that.”
Junior Josiah Friesz led Perryville with 13 points, accounting for half of the Pirates’ offense. No other Perryville player scored more than five points, as the Pirates struggled to convert opportunities around the basket and from the perimeter.
Scott City, meanwhile, featured balanced scoring and size throughout its lineup. Junior Braeden Walton led the Rams with a game-high 21 points, while Maximus Snider added 19 and Ethan Huffman contributed 14, giving Scott City three players in double figures.
Sample said Scott City’s physical presence played a role in the outcome.
“They’re a big team, good players,” he said. “They do a good job. I think my boys competed well against them. We just weren’t able to finish some shots that we should’ve made.”
Despite the lopsided final score, Sample singled out his seniors for their leadership and effort.
“I was proud of my senior boys,” he said. “Waylon Huber and Josiah Paisley, they played hard tonight. Those were two guys who brought a lot of effort.”
The Pirates never stopped competing, holding Scott City’s bench to just four points in the fourth quarter, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
PERRYVILLE 81, ST. PAUL LUTHERAN 46
Senior Night couldn’t have gone much better for the Perryville Pirates. With balanced scoring, strong defense and steady offensive rhythm, Perryville rolled past St. Paul Lutheran 81-46 on Feb. 10 at the Perryville Middle School gymnasium.
The Pirates wasted little time taking control, jumping out to a 20-9 lead after the first quarter. Perryville continued to build on that advantage in the second, outscoring the Giants 22-11 to carry a 42-20 lead into halftime. Perryville’s momentum carried into the third quarter, where the Pirates poured in 28 points to extend the margin to 70-35 and put the game out of reach.
“It was our senior night, so I thought we came out and took care of business,” said Perryville coach Eli Sample. “They competed hard against us, but we played well and ended up coming out with a victory.”
Senior guard Waylon Huber led Perryville with 19 points, followed by Cole Rodewald with 13 and Karston Schilli with 12. In all, every Pirate who saw the floor contributed, with all nine players scoring in the win.
Sample said the team’s overall flow stood out.
“It felt like the flow of our team was going well that night,” he said. “The boys were having fun. Defensively, they looked good, and offensively we were making shots and found a rhythm.”
St. Paul Lutheran was led by sophomore Caiden Canania, who scored a game-high 20 points, but the Giants struggled to keep pace with Perryville’s depth and consistent scoring.
The Pirates’ defensive pressure and balanced offense allowed them to control the tempo from start to finish, turning Senior Night into a memorable one for Perryville’s veteran group.
