Offensive woes plague Crest

COLONY — An offensive swoon reared its ugly head again Thursday for Crest High’s boys.
“When our shots aren’t falling, the guys tend to try to do their own things,” Lancer head coach Travis Hermreck said. “We aren’t very successful that way.”
Visiting Jayhawk-Linn led by double digits early, withstood a Crest comeback late in the half and pulled away after intermission in a 53-29 victory.
The loss drops Crest to 7-11 on the season and caps a brutal stretch in which the Lancers played five games in eight days.
Thursday’s also was the Lancers’ final home game of the season. Crest visits Madison and St. Paul next week to wrap up the regular season. The Class 1A, Division II Substate Tournament follows March 3-8.
Crest didn’t muster much in the early going.
Senior Brock Ellis’ two free throws accounted for the Lancers’ only points of the first quarter as Jayhawk-Linn raced to a 12-2 lead.
After the slow start, Ellis scored inside in the opening minute of the second half to spark a Lancer rally. He then scored Crest’s next seven points, the last of which shaved Jayhawk-Linn’s lead to 16-11.
Hunter Frazell’s 3-pointer late in the quarter pulled Crest to within 18-15 before the Jayhawks ended the half with a burst.
Jayhawk-Linn put together a 21-6 run through the balance of the third quarter to seal the win.
Ellis wound up with 17 points to pace Crest. Frazell scored five, Austin Green three and Taylor Davis and Kellen Ramsey two apiece.
Jayhawk-Linn’s Justin Mark was Crest’s primary antagonist, scoring 20 of his 22 points in the first three quarters. His 3-pointer late in the third pushed the Jayhawk lead to 20 for the first time.
Hermreck credited Crest’s Clayton Miller for his defense on the 6-4 Mark. Miller is only 5-10.
“Clayton did a great job,” Hermreck said. “He only had two or three baskets while Clayton was defending him.”
Brayden Miller added 10 for the Jayhawks.
Jayhawk-Linn (12-10-17-14—53)
Crest (2-13-6-8—29)
Jayhawk-Linn (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Leach 1-0-0-2, Mark 6/1-7-1-22, Dawson 0/1-2-4-5, Mathews 1-0-3-2, McGrew 0/2-0-1-6, Miller 4-2-1-10, Morrell 2-0-1-4, Brown 1-0-0-2, Workman 0-0-2-0. TOTALS: 15/4-11-14-53.
Crest (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Frazell 0/1-2-3-5, Green 0-3-1-3, Godderz 0-0-1-0, Brallier 0-0-1-0, Ellis 7-3-2-17, Miller 0-0-2-0, Ramsey 1-0-2-2. TOTALS: 9/1-8-12-29.