Going into Friday night’s games, there were still three teams with a chance to either win the Frontier Athletic Conference championship outright or claim at least a share of the title.

Miami Trace, the No. 12-ranked team in the state in Division II in the Associated Press poll, was 6-1 in the FAC going into the contest against Jackson, sporting a record in the conference of 5-2.

The Washington Blue Lions were 6-1 going into their game against the McClain Tigers.

Miami Trace protected its home court with a 59-46 victory.

That result gives Jackson three conference losses with just two games to play.

Washington won its game at home against McClain Friday, so the two Fayette County teams are both 7-1. The Tigers are 0-8 in the FAC.

Miami Trace (14-1) will host Chillicothe on Jan. 27 and then the Blue Lions on Saturday, Feb. 4.

Washington’s other remaining conference game is at home against Hillsboro on Jan. 27.

Friday night, senior Andrew Guthrie was the game’s leading scorer for Miami Trace with 27 points. Guthrie had what is thought to be a season-high 18 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. He also shared the team lead (with junior Austin Boedeker) with three assists and he blocked two shots.

Boedeker scored 10 points and pulled down six rebounds.

Senior Isaiah Reisinger scored nine points for the Panthers and one steal.

Jackson junior Boston Campbell led his team with 17 points.

Freshman Charlie Woodard had nine points for the Ironmen, while senior Evan Jarvis and freshman Bodhi Wolford both contributed eight points.

Jackson falls to 6-7 overall.

“Give a lot of credit to Jackson,” Miami Trace head coach Ben Ackley said. “Coach (Max) Morrow and his staff have done an unbelievable job to play the young kids they are playing. Campbell and Jarvis have to be incredible leaders. Those kids have come so far.”

Jackson has six freshmen on its varsity roster.

Jackson stayed in the game as best as it could by making seven three-point field goals.

“We knew they were shooting it better,” Ackley said. “We were hoping they wouldn’t tonight. In the first half they shot the eyes out of it.” Jackson made 5 of their 7 threes in the first half.

“I felt like the little run we went on before the half was key,” Ackley said. “I thought we executed coming out of the lockerroom. That’s one of the biggest differences in this group. Not that they wouldn’t take the coaching last year, they’re just more mature now and they understand. They know the sets. They know what we’re trying to do.

“We had to reiterate at halftime that we have to go through Andrew,” Ackley said. “I don’t care if everyone knows. If coach (Pat) Beard at Chillicothe is listening, next Friday, Drew’s getting the basketball. That’s just how it goes. We’re going to feed the horse and work through him.”

Try as they might, Jackson really could not stop Guthrie, although the Panthers’ big man was often double and some times triple-teamed.

Miami Trace took an early 6-0 lead and led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter.

Jackson went up by four points at 20-16 with 4:18 to play in the first half.

The Panthers scored the final eight points of the half to take a 24-20 lead into the lockerroom.

Miami Trace led by as many as 10 points in the third quarter and were in front, 41-31 at the end of the penultimate period.

Miami Trace enjoyed a lead of as many as 15 points late in the game before the final result of 59-46.

Miami Trace is back in action Tuesday at home against Western Brown.

In one other FAC game Friday, Chillicothe defeated Hillboro, 67-63 in overtime.

Chillicothe is now 3-5 in the FAC, 4-13 overall, while Hillsboro falls to 2-6 in the conference, 5-10 overall.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

MT 13 11 17 18 — 59

J 11 9 11 15 — 46

MIAMI TRACE — Shay Salyers 0-0-0; Trey Robinette 0-0-0; Grant Guess 0-0-0; Coleden May 2-1-5; Brady Armstrong 1-0-2; Zach Warnock 0-0-0; Isaiah Reisinger 2 (1)-2-9; Austin Boedeker 3 (1)-1-10; Bryson Sheets 0-0-0; Andrew Guthrie 11-5-27; Adam Guthrie 0-0-0; Bryson Osborne 1-4-6; Holden Hunter 0-0-0. TOTALS — 20 (2)-13-59. Free throw shooting: 13 of 18 for 72 percent. Three-point field goals: Reisinger, Boedeker. Field goal shooting: 22 of 48 for 46 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 2 of 11 for 18 percent. Rebounds: 37 (12 offensive). Turnovers: 10. Assists: 13. Steals: 3. Blocked shots: 4. Fouls: 16.

JACKSON — Ryan Seimetz 0-0-0; Stephen Jenkins 0-1-1; Braydon Stapleton 0 (1)-0-3; Dillon Delong 0-0-0; Josh Hutchinson 0-0-0; Bodhi Wolford 1 (1)-3-8; Jax Carroll 0-0-0; Evan Jarvis 0 (2)-2-8; Boston Campbell 5-7-17; Charlie Woodard 0 (3)-0-9; Coen Davis 0-0-0; Zander Ervin 0-0-0. TOTALS — 6 (7)-13-46. Free throw shooting: 13 of 17 for 76 percent. Three-point field goals: Woodard, 3; Jarvis, 2; Stapleton, Wolford. Field goal shooting: 13 of 47 for 28 percent. Three-point field goal shooting: 7 of 21 for 33 percent. Turnovers: 9. Offensive rebounds: 6.