Cambridge topplespesky Blue Jays

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BY GENE COTTER

Foul problems took top-ranked Cambridge out of its comfort zone early against No. 8 Ravenna on Friday. Late free throw shooting, however, made the Trojans feel right at home.

Foul problems that plagued Cambridge in the first half and forced it away from its traditional man-to-man defense and into a zone helped Ravenna stay close.

An 18-for-26 performance at the free throw line in the fourth quarter and 18 points from Matt Depperschmidt gave Cambridge all it needed to get past Ravenna 77-62 in the semifinals of the Class C-2 state tournament at Pershing Center.

"We're pretty good free throw shooters. If we get in that situation we expect to do that,"Cambridge coach Del Schoenfish said. "In fact, we missed a few more that I would have liked."

Derik Light and Matt Sexton each scored eight points in the first period, and the Trojans (25-1) raced to a 23-15 lead after one period.

When both were whistled for their second fouls early in the second quarter and went to the bench, that allowed Ravenna to get untracked offensively. But Cambridge changed up its defense and held on.

"We had no choice," Schoenfish said. "It worked out all right. We're a man-to-man team, but we got into deep foul trouble, so we had to do something. It worked out."

Wayne Bock scored six points and Tyler Cyboron added five more as the Blue Jays got to 36-35 at halftime. Bock scored another six points in the third quarter to help Ravenna stay within 48-45 with 1:14 left in the period

Once the foul calls started in earnest, the Trojans pulled away.

"We're older than they are. We've got four seniors and they've got some youth," Schoenfish said. "We're a bit more mature than they are as far as the physicalness is concerned."

Depperschmidt was 8-for-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter for Cambridge, while Waid Vontz was 5-of-8 and Marcus Vontz was 4-for-6.

Although Drake Beranek, who finished with 19 points for the Blue Jays, scored eight in the fourth quarter, Ravenna got no closer than 67-62 with 1:30 left.

Cyboron finished with 18 points for Ravenna and Bock chipped in 17.

All five Cambridge starters scored in double figures, with Sexton and Marcus Vontz adding 14 points apiece, Waid Vontz scoring 13 and Light finishing with 10.