Schumacher, defense lift Churchill.

Byline: Adam Jude The Register-Guard

Still laboring from a kick to the throat during the final football game at Sheldon more than two months ago, Andrew Schumacher hasn't been able to be a vocal leader for the Churchill boys basketball team.

His presence alone spoke volumes Wednesday.

Schumacher scored 11 of his 17 points in the second half, avenging the football injury while leading Churchill to a 59-52 victory over the Irish in a key Midwestern League showdown at Sheldon.

Van Dellenback-Ouellette also had 17 points for the Lancers (12-3, 5-2 league), who moved ahead of Sheldon (11-3, 4-2) into a second-place tie with North Eugene.

"This was a big-time win for us," said Schumacher, a 6-foot-5 junior forward and the starting quarterback for the Lancers football team. "I expected us to be in the top three. I'm real proud of these guys."

Schumacher also drew the defensive assignment on Sheldon junior Blake Poole, the league's scoring leader. Poole finished with a game-high 18 points - leading Sheldon's second-half comeback effort - but Schumacher made a point of limiting Poole's second-chance opportunities.

"He's a rock," Dellenback-Ouellette said of Schumacher. "He did a good job on Blake. He wasn't the dominant player we've seen so far."

Colin Inglis hit his first four three-point attempts to give Churchill a 25-15 lead early in the second quarter. The Lancers shot nearly 74 percent from the field (14-for-19) in the first half to take a 33-26 lead at the break.

"We knew our defense was going to be solid enough to hold us in there," Churchill coach John Roche said. "These guys are realizing that defense is going to keep us in games."

Poole scored six straight points and Jordan Clapp had a steal and a layup to pull Sheldon with 43-41 with 7:02 left in the fourth quarter.

Clapp then hit a running left-handed layin with 2:10 left, again cutting the Irish deficit to two at 51-49.

Sheldon wouldn't get any closer.

Churchill connected on 8-of-10 free-throw attempts in the final 1:08, then relied on Roche's disciplined defense to contain Sheldon's final run.

"We kept our composure ... and hit our free throws," Roche said. "They're great kids. They're not consistent yet, but we'll get there. We not going to wait 'til next year."

Schumacher had a key steal in the final minute and pulled down the last rebound off a Sheldon miss in the closing seconds to seal the Lancers' win.

"We're playing defense for 32 minutes every game," Schumacher said. "We're in a good position to make a run at the league title."

Trenton Newton-Jones scored 18 points to lead South Eugene over visiting Willamette, 76-48. Joseph Blasher added 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Axemen.

With the win, South Eugene (6-0, 13-2) remains undefeated at the top of the Midwestern League.

Casey Montgomery scored 10 points for the Wolverines.

Andrew Miller scored nine of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to lead North Eugene over visiting Thurston, 53-41. Andrew Hookland added 10 points for the Highlanders.

Brett Leavitt scored 13 points for Thurston.

Alex Bourne hit a 10-foot jumper with 11 seconds left in the game to give Lebanon a 51-49 victory over visiting Springfield. Dillon Middleton led the Warriors with 24 points and Ryan Bolman added 14.

Jordan Haxby scored 20 points for the Millers.

Mountain West League boys

Blake Chapelle scored 21 points and John Barrows added 12 to lead host Mapleton over OSD, 79-28.

Mountain West League girls

Shauna Allen scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead Mapleton to a 68-8 victory over visiting OSD.

CAPTION(S):

Churchill's Andrew Schumacher is fouled by Sheldon's Blake Poole during the final minutes of the Lancers' 59-52 victory Wednesday. Schumacher scored 17 points and Poole, the Midwestern League scoring leader, had 18. Wayne Eastburn / The Register-Guard