ELIDA – Jarron Swick scored 27 on Thursday night and became the all-time leading scorer at Fort Jennings as the Musketeers downed PCL champion Kalida 64-50 in the district semifinals.
“I thought nothing about the scoring record, just about winning this game,” said Swick. “I tried to put it in the back of my mind as much as I could, I’m excited but it’s all about winning games right now.”
Swick, a Tri-C baseball commit tied the 55-year old record previously held by Bill Kramer of 1,435 points on a free throw, and broke the mark moments later on a spinning layup late in the fourth quarter.
#ThatMomentWhen @JarronSwick tied and then broke the @FJHS_Basketball career scoring record of 1,435 held for 55 years by Bill Kramer. pic.twitter.com/2TpOov39E9
— Michael Hirn (@MichaelHirnPBP) February 28, 2025
Fort Jennings got off to a blistering start in the first quarter behind Swick’s eight markers to take an 18-11 lead at the first buzzer.
Kalida senior Bubba Smith canned three first half triples and helped to facilitate three more from teammates Nathan Kahle, Logan Kerner, and Owen Grime to keep the Wildcats within striking distance at halftime.
Owen Calvelage continued the three point barrage inside the Elida Fieldhouse and drove the noise level well past 90dB when he sank his third from beyond the arc in the third stanza en route to 15 points on the night.
The Wildcats first half saw just two makes and a pair of free throws but a blistering 7/10 from three point range as a team.
Through the course of the second half the two squads who met during the regular season January 10th locked into a defensive game of cat and mouse with each gaining momentary upper hands.
Logan Kerner added to his first half three point goal in the fourth with a pair of back to back makes to bring the Wildcats to within 46-43 before a triple from senior Jacob Siebeneck knotted the game at 49-49 a minute later.
Fort Jennings began to crawl away from the Wildcats on the scoreboard over the final five minutes as the quartet of Swick, Owen Calvelage, Brandt Menke, and Calvin Menke connected on 15 of their 21 four period tosses from the free throw line.
Held to just 8 of 23 from the field and 3 of 14 from beyond the arc in the second half, Kalida was unable to scratch ahead of Fort Jennings and was outscored 30-21 in the final 16 minutes of play.
Fort Jennings (18-6) moves on to Saturday night’s district final where they will take on the Miller City Wildcats, winners 56-52 over Ottoville in the opening contest.
Kalida sees their postseason run come to a halt at 14-9 with their first loss to Fort Jennings since a 44-43 setback on January 13th, 2012, ending a span of 14 consecutive series wins.
Smith paced the Wildcats with 16 and was joined in double figures by classmate Jacob Siebeneck with 10.
Scoring:
Fort Jennings (64):
Owen Calvelage 15
Calvin Menke 9
Jarron Swick 27
Brandt Menke 6
Adam Hoersten 2
Ian Howbert 5
FG: 20/39
3PT: 5/13 (O. Calvelage 3, C. Menke, Howbert)
FT: 19/27
REB: 25 (Swick 9)
TO: 6
Kalida (50):
Bubba Smith 16
Nathan Kahle 3
Logan Kerner 11
Owen Grime 8
Jacob Siebeneck 10
Jaxon Hoffman 2
FG: 17/37
3PT: 10/24 (Smith 3, Kerner 3, Siebeneck 2, Grime, Kahle)
FT: 4/8
REB: 19 (4 players with 3)
TO: 11