Whitehall boys basketball sees third win of season

A dominant first quarter last Friday against Bolton propelled Whitehall to its third win of the season and second in three days.

Whitehall outscored Bolton 24-5 in the first quarter en route to a 61-32 win.

Justin Hoagland scored 19 points to lead Whitehall and Justin McDonald added 10 points. A season high 12 players scored for Whitehall.

Corey Van Auken led Bolton with 19 points.

Whitehall used an aggressive defense to open an early lead. The Railroaders trapped and pressed often, forcing Bolton into nearly a dozen turnovers in the first quarter. Most of those turnovers were turned into easy transition points as Whitehall opened the game on a 10-2 run.

Bolton took better care of the ball in the second quarter, limiting its turnovers, but the Railroader defense remained strong as the Eagles scored only five points in the quarter.

In the second half, the Railroaders outscored Bolton 32-22 despite many of Whitehall’s reserve seeing their most extensive action of the season.

Before the game, the Railroaders honored Tyler Sweenors, the team’s only senior, and David Tome, a foreign exchange student from Spain. Both started the game, combining for seven points. Sweenor had perhaps his best game of the season, scoring four points and providing lots of energy on the defensive end of the floor.

The game came two days after the Salem Generals avenged an early-season loss to Whitehall, defeating the Railroaders in the rematch 64-55.

Whitehall actually held a five-point lead after a quarter of play, but were outscored 18-7 in the second quarter and were never able to overcome the deficit in the second half.

Hoagland had one of his best games of the season, scoring 30 points for Whitehall and McLaughlin added 11 points.
Josh Steele led Salem with 20 points.

Whitehall’s record now stands at 3-10 in the Adirondack League and 3-11, overall. The team has completed its home slate and will wrap the season with away games at Hartford (Feb. 5), at Argyle (Feb. 7) and at Fort Ann (Feb. 11).