Above, Wayne Stearns went up for a dunk during the first half against North Laurel. Below, Sawyer Stalcup drove the baseline for two of his 15 points. Clinton County won the game, 67-55.

The crowd on hand in the Lindle Castle Gymnasium Saturday night rose to their feet in silence to watch the potentially game-tying shot fly toward the basket.

While the silence wasn’t quite to deafening as to be able to hear a pin drop, the sound of the basketball bouncing on the rim could clearly be heard.

Leading by three points, Clinton County coaches, players and fans stood and watched as the ball bounced once, twice and finally a third time – the game ending horn sounding between that first and second bounce on the iron – then finally, with a short roll around the front of the rim, falling off to the floor to give the Bulldogs the win.

A big win.

With the missed shot at the buzzer by Warren Central’s Norman Johnson, the Bulldogs had held on to pick up a 49-46 victory over the highly touted defending 4th Region Champions.

The morale boosting win for Clinton County put the Dawgs at 2-0 on this still young season, with the Dragons falling to an even 1-1 mark.

Had that final Dragon shot attempt fallen through, it would have meant a five-minute overtime period for the two teams, at a time when the Bulldogs had seemingly lost its momentum.

With just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Clinton County had been in complete control of the contest, possessing a 10 point lead and were set to more or less coast to an easy victory.

When Warren Central is on the other end of the floor – coasting is never a good idea, and Clinton County soon found that lesson to be true.

The Dragons sent Clinton County to the free throw line time after time as the game came down the stretch in those final two minutes, and the Warren Central plan nearly worked – simply because of the Bulldogs’ inability to drop in the crucial free throws in the final minutes.

Clinton County missed 10 free throws in the second half alone, most of those coming in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter.

Among the free throws that found the basket, however, was an important toss by Bulldog forward Colby Langford with just six seconds on the clock that put Clinton County out in front by the three point margin that would eventually be the final score, setting up that Warren Central desperation shot that could only send the game into overtime.

Wayne Stearns dropped in a free throw with 2:36 remaining in the game to put Clinton County up by 10 points, 43-33, after the Bulldogs had led Warren Central at all three quarter stops.

The game began with both teams putting up fierce man to man defenses that held the scoring to low totals.

Mid-way through the opening quarter, the score was tied 5-5 and Clinton County held a narrow one-point lead at the end of that first period of play, 13-12.

By halftime, the Bulldogs had loosened up somewhat on the offensive end, opening up a five point lead to close out the second quarter, 24-19.

That first half of action was intense on both ends of the floor, with the crowd coming to their feet several times to approve of the hard-core effort being put up by both teams.

Clinton County closed out that first half with an 8-0 run on scoring by Keifer Dalton and Sawyer Stalcup as the Bulldogs overtook the Dragons who were holding a three-point lead, 19-16. It would be the last lead for Warren Central on the night.

The Dawgs appeared more at ease as the second half got underway, with Stalcup, Langford and Stearns putting together a third quarter offensive attack that put Clinton County out in front by a dozen points at the end of the third period, 40-28.

Warren Central refused to lay down and quit during the final quarter of action, and the Dragon plan of sending Clinton County to the free throw line time after time nearly paid off – right down to that ill-fated final shot that bounced, bounced, bounced . . . and rolled off the front.

Clinton County finished the night hitting 41 percent from the floor, dropping in 16 of 39 attempts, including five of 10 shots from three point range.

From the free throw line, the Bulldogs were 12 of 26 for 46 percent.

Warren Central shot 47 percent from the floor with a 16 of 34 performance, hitting four of 11 attempts from three point range for 36 percent.

From the line, the Dragons finished with a 60 percent effort, dropping in nine of 15 attempts.

Individual scoring for Clinton County was:

Stalcup 13

Dalton 12

Stearns 11

Langford 8

Maupin 3

Beard 2

Clinton County 67

North Laurel 55

The Clinton County Bulldogs took the floor last Tuesday night for the season opener at home against North Laurel.

The Bulldogs won the contest by a final score of 67-55, but the game was much closer than the final score indicated.

During the first quarter, it was like Clinton County just walked out of a cooler, shooting and missing seven good looks at the basket.

Senior Sawyer Stalcup finally got the Bulldogs on the board with a basket, but North Laurel quickly made two from the floor for a 4-2 lead.

With 2:10 on the clock, Stalcup again answered with a three pointer from the right wing and 30 seconds later Colby Langford put up a floater in the paint for two points to give the Bulldogs a 7-4 lead.

At this point, the first game jitters are starting to fade away as a break-a-way dunk by senior Wayne Stearns gave the Bulldogs the spark it needed to put some points on the board.

When it was all said and done, Clinton County had put together a 12-0 run during the final two minutes of the first quarter for a 14-4 first quarter lead.

As the second quarter began, North Laurel put a stop to the bleeding for a moment, but Stearns’ basket and an old fashion three point play by Wendell Maupin, gave the Bulldogs a 19-6 lead with 6:07 remaining in the half.

North Laurel cut the lead to 10 points on a free throw and a field goal, but a three pointer by Ryan Beard pushed the Bulldogs’ lead 13 points, 22-9 with 4:50 on the clock.

The Jaguars then hit a free throw to cut the lead to 12 points, but Beard scored again to push the lead to 12. North Laurel then put some points on the board and cut the lead to nine, 24-15, but Stalcup’s hot hand from the three point line sent the Bulldogs up by 12 again, 27-15.

North Laurel still had some fight left in them for the remainder of the half, putting together a 13-3 run to cut the lead to six, 29-23.

Clinton County’s hot shooting in the latter part of the first quarter and during the first part of the second quarter quickly went cold during the final four minutes of the second quarter allowing the Jaguars to get back into the game.

Maupin closed out the half with a basket to give the Bulldogs an eight point lead at half time, 31-23.

Clinton County continued to struggle throughout the third quarter, keeping the Jaguars just out of reach.

North Laurel opened up the second half with a 4-0 run to cut the lead to four points, 31-27.

Langford scored a field goal for a six point lead, but North Laurel hit a three pointer to cut the lead to three points.

With 5:19 on the clock, Maupin scored two baskets to give the Bulldogs a seven point lead, 37-30. North Laurel wasn’t finished as the Jaguars knocked down a three pointer to once again cut into Clinton County.

Stearns answered with a three pointer for a six point lead, but North Laurel hit two from the free throw line to move to within four, 40-36.

For the remainder of the period, both teams would match each other almost point for point leaving Clinton County with a three point lead at the end of the period, 49-46.

Stearns opened the fourth quarter with a basket, but North Laurel hit a free throw to move to within four, 51-47.

At the 6:06 mark, Stalcup hit a basket for a 53-47 lead, but once again, North Laurel was there to match what the Bulldogs were putting up on the scoreboard.

Clinton County finally grabbed a 10 point lead at the 3:59 mark on a basket by Maupin and two free throws by Stearns, 59-49.

One of Keifer Dalton’s two free throws for the game came at the 3:27 mark for an 11 point lead.

North Laurel didn’t give up as the Jaguars continued to put points on the board, but failing to stop the Bulldogs on defense is what ultimately sealed the deal for Clinton County.

With Langford grabbing the final two points of the game for Clinton County with 35 seconds on the clock, the Bulldogs ran the final 20 ticks off to grab the win, 67-55.

Individual scoring for Clinton County was:

Stearns 16

Maupin 15

Stalcup 15

Langford 14

Beard 5

Dalton 2

The Bulldogs were back in action Tuesday night as the team traveled to Monroe County, too late for press deadline, and will be on the road Friday night at Metcalfe County. Those game summaries and highlights can be found in next week’s edition.