DUBLIN, Ohio -- Worthington Kilbourne opened in 1991. Since then the Wolves have yet to eclipse the 14-win mark in its 30 seasons as a program.

That might be changing this year, as Worthington Kilbourne  (8-2, 6-1) dominated archrival Dublin Scioto (2-3, 1-3) in the Battle of Hard Road, 60-30. 

With a senior-laden group that is playing with tremendous synergy right now, Worthington Kilbourne relied on 30 combined points from 6-foot-5 senior wings Ian Schupp and Travis Mecklenburg. While he didn't register a point on Friday, senior guard Cayden Dougherty had massive impact on the game, leading all players with nine assists and helping the Wolves establish an up-tempo style of basketball where everyone was involved.

While Dublin Scioto kept it close in the first quarter, Schupp broke the game open with a tip slam toward the end of the period. From that point on, Worthington Kilbourne went on a 12-0 run and extended its lead as high as 16 points at 24-8 late in the half.

Dublin Scioto had a mini spurt to end the half, however, it was all Worthington Kilbourne in the second half, as Dougherty really got the Wolves' run and gun game going. Punishing Dublin Scioto in transition, Worthington Kilbourne got easy look after easy look to blow the doors off its rival and double their scoring.

Schupp and Mecklenburg each finished with 15 points, while junior guard Ayden Parsons chipped in eight. The Wolves are a lengthy group that really gets after it on the defensive end of the floor, as Parsons and Dougherty set the tone in the backcourt with great ball pressure. 

With a bully like Schupp waiting near the rim to contest and change a number of shots, Worthington Kilbourne has many layers of defense that made it really tough for Dublin Scioto to find much of anything offensively. 

For the Irish, senior guard Jaydon Pearson scored 17 of the team's 30 points, just a few nights after scoring 27 of the 36 total points. And for Pearson, he wasn't even jacking up shots, he's just literally the only guard who can create a look for himself, as the Irish ran him off screens and freed him up all game long. 

With another big win, Worthington Kilbourne is absolutely rolling right now. Going through the first round of OCC-Capital play with just one loss, Worthington Kilbourne holds a two-game advantage versus the rest of the league and owns the tie breaker over both second place teams in Westerville South and Big Walnut. In its only loss in league play to Westerville North two weeks ago, the Wolves were without Dougherty, who is the straw that stirs the drink for this club.

Ian Schupp (6'6 WF / Worthington Kilbourne / 2021): Schupp is an elite level athlete who might just be the strongest player in the area. Playing like a bull in a china shop (a controlled bull at that), Schupp had a really good showing in the first half and carried it through the end of the game on Friday. The 6-foot-6 senior is an elite-level rebounder who can really finish at the rim, as he punishes high school defenders with his physicality, chiseled frame and explosiveness. Schupp had a couple really strong buckets at the rim and even finished off a big tip slam at the end of the first quarter. On defense, Schupp can guard 3-5 at the high school level and is a straight up defensive glass eater. Division II programs should really give Schupp a look, as his physicality, toughness and finishing ability will translate to the next level. While he still doesn't shoot it consistently from deep, Schupp has every other quality in his game to play for a scholarship program, as he is a high-IQ winner with genuine toughness. 

Travis Mecklenburg (6'5 WF / Worthington Kilbourne / 2021): We love discovering sleeper seniors who seem to put it all together at the right time. Mecklenburg is one of those exact guys, as he has great positional size at 6-foot-5, plays both ends of the floor and can bury catch and shoot threes all day long. The slender wing forward had a very good showing, going for a team-high 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including 3-of-4 from deep, Mecklenburg showed great flashes of a guy who is going to be a really good small college player. We liked what Mecklenburg did on defense, as he has the length and foot speed to contain guards on the perimeter and showed off good athleticism blocking a shot near the rim in the second half. If you're looking for a 6-foot-5 forward who can consistently stretch the floor, give Mecklenburg a look. His diverse scoring impact has been a major reason why this Wolves team is playing so well. 

Jaydon Pearson (6'1 G / Dublin Scioto / 2021): Quite literally the only source of reliable offense for Scioto on Friday, Pearson had a good showing and was fairly efficient despite such a large volume of offense. The Irish play him primarily off the ball, running him through screens and freeing him up for catch and shoot jumpers, which he hit all game long. Pearson is a knockdown shooter off movement, can put the ball on the deck and hit pull up jumpers and has enough wiggle in his game to create separation off the dribble to finish around the basket. With Kilbourne zoned in on shutting off his water, Pearson did a great job all game long of getting to his spots and scoring the ball, something he's going to be able to do at the next level. A good student who has drastically improved year after year, Pearson is a very good senior guard that college programs should really take a look at. 

Cayden Dougherty (5'10 PG / Worthington Kilbourne / 2021): This is truly a kid who does not care about stats. Dougherty wants to win, and win only, and he showed that with his performance on Friday. Despite not scoring a single point and only taking three shots, Dougherty had the biggest impact of any player in the game. His ability to run the show at the point guard spot and create advantages for teammates is a huge asset to his game and a major reason why Kilbourne has been so good this year. Finally healthy and playing at a high level, Dougherty was on his a-game tonight, leading all players in assists and really energizing Kilbourne's transition offense. The senior and Ayden Parsons form a stout one-two punch in the backcourt, as both guys are unselfish winners who give all-out effort on the defensive end of the floor. While he torched defensive backs all fall long as a big-time slot receiver, Dougherty is a talented lead guard that plays the point guard position the way it was designed. Winner!

Ayden Parsons (6'1 G / Worthington Kilbourne / 2022): We really like watching Parsons compete, as he is doing whatever is asked of him this season and its helping Kilbourne have one of its best seasons in program history. The 6-foot-1 junior had a strong night on both ends of the floor tonight, showing off excellent on and off-ball defensive ability and scoring it on multiple levels. Parsons is a talented slasher who has strong finishing ability, but is also reliable to knock down catch and shoot triples. Parsons did an excellent job defending Pearson, making him work for every bucket and doing a great job denying him off the ball. Sharing the court with a bevy of good seniors, Parsons may not be putting up the scoring numbers he's capable of, but he's playing the right way and contributing to wins, which is what matters more than anything - especially empty buckets.