Aurora’s Friggle makes history but Dawgs fall in district opener

By: 
Skylan Akins

With this three, Aurora senior Jaesik Friggle passes Jasen Fronabarger in all-time points in a Houn’ Dawg uniform. Friggle has been the poster child of Aurora basketball for the past three seasons. (Photo by Skylan Akins)

The Aurora Houn’ Dawgs headed into districts with their most successful season since 2009. Aurora came in as the third seed, but fell to host Seneca, 64-61, in an instant classic. Senior Jaesik Friggle came into the game with 1,609 career points, just seven shy of the 1,616 points Houn’ Dawg legend Jasen Fronabarger scored from 1992-1995.
Early on, Friggle would hit a three for career points 1,615, 1,616, and 1,617 passing Fronabarger for the most points in a Houn’ Dawg uniform. However, there was still a ballgame to be played.
Aurora took an 18-12 lead into the second quarter. However, the wheels fell off for Aurora in the second quarter as a 16-0 Seneca run gave the Indians a 33-25 lead going into the half. It wouldn’t get any better for the Dawgs, as a 9-2 run to begin the third quarter saw the Indian lead swell to 42-27. Then the Dawgs woke up, going on a 13-2 run highlighted by a four point play by senior Sage Welch, and capped off by a Welch fastbreak bucket.
However, it would be Seneca that took a 46-45 lead into the fourth. Junior Trandon Darnall hit a three to tie the game at 51, with just over four minutes left. Seneca got a pair of threes to fall that would give the Indians a 59-53 lead with just over a minute left. Welch then hit a three before Darnall hit another game tying three with just 20 seconds left. Aurora nearly got a steal with their aggressive full court pressure, but Seneca found an open man with about 12 seconds left to go up 63-61. A turnover by Aurora would ultimately do it for the Dawgs, as Seneca got the opening round upset over Aurora.
Aurora finish their best season since 2009, 19-8, and thus the career of the new leading scorer in Houn’ Dawg history Jaesik Friggle along with three other instrumental seniors in turning around the Aurora basketball program in Ryan Clark, Sage Welch and Cameron Savage. After two straight 3-21 seasons, they began to turn the page with a 12-14 junior year before a 19-8 campaign this season.
Girls
The Lady Houns’ came into the Class 4 District 12 tournament as the fourth seed following a 13-13 campaign and took on fifth seeded Lamar in the opening round. Seedings didn’t hold, however, as the Lady Tigers upset Aurora 42-34. Aurora will only graduate Brooke Schutte as they will look to be back next year.

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Lawrence County Record

312 S. Hickory St.
Mt. Vernon, MO, 65712
www.lawrencecountyrecord.com

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