Page 10 - The Buzz 03/20/2026

B2 | SPORTS The MARCH 20 - APRIL 2, 2026
Maysville Panthers end season with third trip to Final Four

BY MATTHEW DOTSON | THE BUZZ

SPORTS

Maysville Panther Landon “Shark” Iden jumps for a shot against Circleville. Matthew Dotson

Vs. Wyoming (3/19) and Roehrig popped in three point- John Glenn High School’s bid for the happy. Obviously, as you know, it’s
Thursday’s Final Four matchup ers of their own, followed by Watson championship, Maysville was ready just one game at a time. We’ve got
held at the Nutter Center – Wright getting fouled on a two-pointer to to take the Division IV Regional Title, to take our time just developing
State University saw the Maysville add a bonus shot to bring the Pan- and they were not about to let Cir- practices, watch boom, and I think
Panthers facing the Cincinnati Wy- thers within two, down 38 – 36 with cleville stop them. we’ll like where we are,” stated ju-
oming Cowboys who they beat last just 2:38 left in the third quarter. Wy- The Tigers came into the Division IV nior point guard Gavin Ferguson
year with a Gator Nichols buzzer oming quickly recovered to end the Regional Championship game with
beater to move on and win the State quarter up 46 – 40. The last min- 18 straight wins under their belts Vs. John Glenn (3/11)
Championship. utes of the game saw Watson hit a and a 23 – 2 overall record, after As one of the three Muskingum
Looking for revenge, the Cowboys two-pointer, and Gator got fouled to squeezing past Unioto 50 – 48 in the County boys basketball teams to
started on fire as they powered get three free throws that landed the semi-final round. The Panthers were make it into the Sweet 16 at the
through the first quarter, hitting Panthers back within three points of on their 24th straight win with a 25 – Ohio University Convocation Center
shots and defending against Mays- the Cowboys before Wyoming pulled 1 record overall, and a running-clock in Athens, the John Glenn Lil’ Musk-
ville to lead 12 – 4 at the end of the away and hit the gas in the last min- 71 – 35 win against MVL challengers ies knew that the second time meet-
first quarter. In the second quarter, utes of the game to deal out a heart- John Glenn in the semi-finals. Mays- ing up with the Panthers this season
the Panthers came to life with three breaking end to the Maysville season ville didn’t expect Circleville to come was going to be that much more of a
pointers from Kane Roehrig and Ga- as the starting seniors left the court out and take charge of the game at challenge.
tor Nichols, followed by back-to-back for the final time for the Panthers as the tip-off, but that is just what they The Muskies walked into the
threes by Gavin Fergusson to hold they fell 68 – 51, their first loss since did, jumping out to a 2 – 0 lead after matchup with Maysville with a 24
within ten points as Wyoming ended November 28th. a couple of minutes on the court and – 1 record, and that one loss was a
the first half with a 30 – 20 advan- building it to 6 – 3 and eventually 11 69 – 57 loss to Maysville in Decem-
tage. Vs. Circleville (3/14) – 6 by the middle of the first period. ber, where the Muskies had an early
The break gave the Panthers the For the second time in the week, Quick action from Jordyn Watson lead after one quarter but couldn’t
perspective on the game that they the Panthers stepped onto the court and Gator Nichols balanced out the hold onto it. As the whistle blew, the
needed to rally in the third quarter, at the Convocation Center at Ohio game and pushed the Panthers to a tip-off set the game in motion, with
with Nichols and Watson hitting University, Athens, on Saturday. 13 – 10 lead before the Tigers tied the Panthers quickly taking control
threes as the quarter started. Iden Just days after closing MVL rival up the game in the last seconds of of the court and pushing out to a 14
the period to end the first quarter – 8 lead at the end of the first quar-
13 – 13. Circleville came back in the ter. The Muskies tried to fight back
second period to leap out to a 21 – against the Maysville offense, but
16 lead early on, before the Panthers couldn’t hold them back as the Pan-
fought back again to rally back to 21 thers took their lead to the next level
– 24 with a three from Watson, tying in the second period to end the first
the game at 24. From there, back-to- half up 33 – 16.
back shots from Landon Iden, with When play resumed, the tem-
an additional shot by Kane Roehrig, po just increased for the Panthers
put the Panthers up 30 – 24. The as they capitalized on their lead to
Tigers fought back, but with a final nearly double their huge lead as
shot by Gator, Maysville led 32 – 29 their score landed at 62 – 27 after
at halftime. three quarters. With a running clock
Back on the court, you would in the fourth quarter, the time was
have thought that the Panthers had not there for the Muskies to bounce
a 20-point lead rather than three, back as the Panthers rolled into their
as they took control of the ball and third straight final 8, as they ended
dominated the Tigers in the first few the season for John Glenn 71 – 35.
minutes of the third quarter to pump
their lead to 54 – 42 as the fourth Vs. Carrollton (3/6)
quarter rolled in. Maysville didn’t Friday night at Claymont High
stop there; they kept on pushing, School, the Warriors face off against

Maysville junior Gavin Fergusson tries to block against Circleville. Matthew Dotson like they were behind and time was the Panthers. From the start of the
closing in. Unlike the first half of the game, the Panthers take control of
game, despite rally efforts, the Tigers the ball against Carrollton and dou-
could not regroup and recover the ble their opponents’ efforts with a 26
lead, and they fell to the Panthers – 14 lead at the end of the first quar-
72 – 52, making the Maysville Pan- ter. Both teams hit it hard in the sec-
thers the 2026 Division IV Region 15 ond period, but the Warriors couldn’t
Champions, and taking their spot in close the ever-expanding gap as
the Final Four for the third year in a Maysville took a 44 – 25 advantage
row. into the halftime locker room.
Senior Kade Rock had this to say After the intermission, the Pan-
when asked about the win: “Oh, it’s thers lit up the scoreboard right
crazy, you know. All of Southtown away as they continued their mission
was up here. It’s a great environ- for the District Title and 18 points on
ment here at the Convo. But this is the board to lead Carrollton 62 – 38
our third one, so we’re starting to get after three quarters. Maysville hit
used to it. We want to go all the way the home stretch with power as they
and win another state champ. We pumped out 10 final points to take
just have to stay focused the next the Division IV District Title with a fi-
four days, continue to prepare, and nal score of 72 – 44.
just be ourselves. We know that we
can go win, and we just have to prove
to the world we can. ”
“Oh, it feels great. You know, three
Maysville senior Kade Rock tries to block a Circleville pass. Matthew Dotson
in a row, and we couldn’t be more