GALLIPOLIS — The Washington Blue Lions made the long trip down to Gallipolis to take on the Gallia Academy Blue Devils in a non-conference game Saturday night.

Washington fell to the Blue Devils, 60-53.

Gallia Academy, now 11-1 and winners of six in a row, are ranked No. 14 in the State this week in the latest Associated Press prep poll.

Junior Dillon Steward led the Blue Lions with 20 points.

Junior Evan Upthegrove scored 13 (including two three-point field goals) and sophomore Trevor Rarick sank three treys for nine points.

Zach Loveday was the game’s leading scorer for Gallia Academy with 25 points.

Justin McClelland scored 12 and Evan Wiseman added nine points.

“I thought we played really well at times,” Washington head coach Shannon Bartruff said. “At times we were also out of sync defensively and we gave them easy points.

“Offensively, we had some chances to make it a little tighter down the stretch, but we missed shots and turned the ball over. Gallia has a nice team. Obviously the 7-footer was a factor, but it was the little things that beat us — turnovers, shot selection and untimely defensive breakdowns.

“I can see signs of us improving,” Bartruff said. “We just have to continue to buy into the team first. Some guys are still worried more about the ‘me’ than the ‘we.’ I’ve told them ‘you may only play 45 seconds, but it may be the most important 45 seconds of the game.’

Washington, now 2-8 overall, 1-5 in the Frontier Athletic Conference, is back in action Tuesday at Logan Elm.

The Blue Lions will play at Jackson Friday and host Grandview Heights Saturday.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

W 10 17 12 14 — 53

GA 15 14 18 13 — 60

WASHINGTON — Eli Lynch 0-0-0; Dillon Steward 7 (1)-3-20; Evan Upthegrove 3 (2)-1-13; Ross Matthews Jr. 0-0-0; Miguel O’Flaherty 2-0-4; Garitt Leisure 1 (1)-0-5; Blaise Tayese 0 (2)-2-8; Trevor Rarick 0 (3)-0-9. TOTALS — 13 (7)-6-53. Free throw shooting: 6 of 11 for 55 percent. Three-point field goals: Rarick, 3; Upthegrove, 2; Steward, Leisure.

GALLIA ACADEMY — Caleb Henry 1-0-2; Evan Wiseman 3-3-9; Justin McClelland 3 (2)-0-12; Kaden Thomas 1-0-2; Logan Blovie 1-0-2; Cory Call 3-2-8; Zach Loveday 10-5-25; Gage Harrison 0-0-0. TOTALS — 22 (2)-10-60. Free throw shooting: 10 of 17 for 59 percent. Three-point field goals: McClelland, 2.