Mallards Fall on Senior Night

BERLIN- Visiting Delmarva Christian spoiled Senior Night for Worcester Prep's boys' varsity basketball team on Wednesday, raining on the Mallards' parade and handing them a 57-34 loss.

Worcester hung around with Delmarva Christian for the better part of three quarters on Tuesday before the Royals pulled away and took control of the game. The loss tarnished what was otherwise a special night for Worcester, which bid farewell for the last time on the home court to seniors Parker McIntosh and Andrew Canakis. The seniors were on the floor through most of the contest on Tuesday.

McIntosh gave the Mallards an early lead in the first quarter during a quick sequence in which he made a lay-up to put Worcester on top, 5-3, followed by a big three-pointer to extend the lead to 8-3. After the Royals went ahead 11-9, Worcester's Jason Pappas tied it at 11-11 with a rebound and a put-back. Alex Ternahan then put Worcester ahead, 14-11, with a lay-up and a converted free throw, but Delmarva Christian answered with a three-pointer to tie it at 14-14 with just over two minutes left in the first and that was as close as Worcester would get although they didn't ever quit.

The first quarter ended with the Royals leading 16-14 before the Mallards went into a scoring funk in the second. Worcester did not score in the second quarter until Ternahan hit a jumper at the 3:20 mark to cut the Royals lead to 20-16. Delmarva Christian outscored Worcester, 8-3, in a dismal quarter for both teams and took a 24-17 lead into halftime, but the Mallards were still very much in the game.

McIntosh scored the first bucket of the third to cut the lead to 24-19, but the Royals then opened a 10-point lead at 31-21 with just under five minutes remaining. Canakis launched a long three-pointer to cut the lead to seven at 31-24, but that was as close as Worcester would get the rest of the way. Delmarva Christian finished the third quarter with a 39-26 lead and coasted to the 57-34 win with a big fourth quarter led by a steady parade to the free throw line.