By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
Right from the get-go Tuesday, it seemed that it was going to be Lafayette's night.
The Irish (12-4), ranked No. 8 in Class 5, got off to a 10-1 start and led 20-5 after the first.
They also had a number of starters in foul trouble, which allowed Benton (10-8) to get in the bonus by the middle of the second quarter. By halftime, Lafayette had nine fouls, compared to Benton's two.
Irish coach Kevin Bristol didn't panic.
"I think late in the second, we were playing (Benton's) game instead of being who we are," Bristol said. "I think that's what allowed them to get back in the game. We slowed the ball up instead of getting the pace we wanted to get. When the third quarter started, we got back to the pace we wanted."
Leading 31-21 at the break, Lafayette started the third quarter on a 9-0 run and outscored the Cardinals 32-12 over the final two quarters in a 63-33 win at Lafayette High School Tuesday.
Lafayette's defense stifled Benton throughout the second half, as the Cardinals made only four field goals in the final 16 minutes of the contest.
The win was the Irish's sixth straight, and was their seventh scoring output of 60 or more points this season.
"I mean, I think we've been playing like this the last couple games we've stepped on the court," Bristol said. "Just playing together, making that transition work and getting up and down the court. That's what we like to do."
Points came early and often for the Irish, as they sank nine total field goals in the first quarter alone, and hit a pair of threes in the third quarter to pull away.
In all, 10 players scored points for Lafayette, led by sophomore Camden Bennett's 16-point effort.
"Every game, he's maturing," Bristol said. "Today, he played a little bit better defense, moved the ball around a lot better. When he drives, he's learned to kick to the open guy. He's growing every day."
Senior Zach Langley scored nine points, including seven in the third quarter. Fellow senior Tyrease Bicalho-Dutton dropped in nine as well - seven of that in the second half.
Led by a group of seven seniors, and with Bennett garnering more statewide attention as a sophomore, the five-time defending district champion Irish have been a fun group to watch all season.
It's been fun up to this point, but as most coaches will tell you in mid-February, the job is not done.
"We have goals," Bristol said. "We want to hang another banner. We want to win districts and get to state. We have goals, and that's what we're doing. Meshing together and playing hard at the right time."
Lafayette 63 - 20, 11, 20, 12
Benton 33 - 5, 16, 9, 3
Lafayette scorers - Camden Bennett - 16, Zach Langley - 9, Drake Davison - 9, Tyrease Bicalho-Dutton - 7, Jamar James - 5, Try-Shon Page - 4, Samuel Ryan - 2, Miles Henderson - 2, Dayne Koch - 2.
Benton scorers - Kason Mauzey - 12, Quinton Redemer - 9, Carson Newlon - 4, Trey Mull - 2, Cade Gehring - 2, Taten Piepergerdes - 1, Damian Justus - 1, Allan Coy - 1.
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