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By Riley Bean
Galena, MO – Last year at this time, the Crane Pirates fell to Marionville 44-40 in the district championship game to end a promising season.
On Friday, the Pirates flipped the script. Marionville (24-4) came in as the top seed and the favorites in the district… that is, until the underdog Crane (17-10) pushed them to overtime and pulled off the upset 50-49 on a last-minute layup.
“[Last year] was definitely on those guys’ minds,” Crane coach Craig Campbell said, referring to his squad. “I tried not to think about it too much. Last year was last year, and I try to focus on this year. But it was definitely on these guys’ minds that they beat us last year. It was definitely one of those, ‘They want to get this game really bad.’”
And they fought like it. The game was close throughout the entire contest, especially down the stretch. Marionville led 31-30 entering the fourth quarter, only to trade punches with Crane.
With under a minute and a half to play in the fourth, Marionville’s Levi Doyle made a bucket to put the Comets up 41-39. Crane’s Tyler Campbell answered right back to tie it up. Crane had a chance to end it in regulation, but the long three-point attempt was defended well and did not fall.
So into overtime we went.
Crane started out scorching hot in the extra frame. Dalton Hayes got things going with a drive to the basket, making the shot and getting fouled in the process. He hit the free throw, accounting for three of his game-high 17 points.
Soon after that, Wyatt Vaught picked up a steal at mid-court and laid it in on the other end, putting Crane up 46-41 in a flash.
“Once we got into overtime, we got a big stop and Hayes got an and-one, they were all celebrating,” said Coach Campbell. “I told them, ‘The game’s not over yet, guys. We still got three minutes and we gotta keep playing defense.’ Wyatt came up with a big steal and put us up five. They celebrated more and I’m like, ‘Guys, we still got two and a half minutes to go.’”
True to the game’s narrative, Marionville fought back thanks in part to a couple big three’s from Doyle, who finished with 12 points. Down 48-43, Doyle hit a three to bring the Comets to within two.
He doubled down and hit another huge three to give the Comets the lead 49-48 late in the overtime period.
With just about 15 seconds left in overtime, Crane’s Hayes caught the inbound pass and drove baseline, hit a spin move and dished it to fellow senior Deven White streaking to the basket. White hit the contested lay in, putting the Pirates up 50-49.
Marionville’s desperation three-point attempt was just a little too strong.
“That’s just a dream come true,” said White, who recorded 12 points in the game. “I’ve had dreams about that and over a rival school like Marionville, that’s just a dream come true.
“I knew we could pull it off. I think we all knew we could pull it off. We knew we had to play our game. We had to play our hearts out, and we did. I just love my teammates and my coaches so much and all the fans for coming out to support us. I just want to thank you guys so much.”
Like the Crane girls’ team, the Crane boys came from behind as the underdogs and earned an improbable district championship trophy. And like the girls’ team, the Crane boys will square off with Pierce City in the sectional round on Wednesday, May 1.
“Just keep playing our game,” White said. “Play for the name on our chest. Crane. That’s all we got. We got our legacy, and we got what lives on in us.”
Crane – 16 – 10 – 4 – 11 – 9 – 50
Marionville – 9 – 14 – 8 – 10 – 8 – 49
Crane – Dalton Hayes 17, Deven White 12, Tyler Campbell 8, Brayden Cook 6, Wyatt Vaught 5, Colton Elder 2
Marionville – Josh Goodman 13, Levi Doyle 12, Aaron Head 9, Brandon Horn 6, Ryan Mayberry 5, Cole Brown 2, Nick Dean 2
