The Lafayette boys’ basketball team came up just short in their bid for a state championship for the first time since 1976 as they lost to Republic, 45-42, Saturday in the Class 4 State Championship game inside Mizzou Arena.

The Fighting Irish end their season 25-5 and Republic wins its second consecutive state title as they finished 27-4.

Both teams started slow Saturday night as Lafayette led 5-4 after the first quarter, but the Irish quickly took control in the second quarter as Xavier Kurth scored ten points in the quarter and LHS led 19-10 at halftime.

Lafayette extended its lead in the third quarter as they led by as many as 14 points, 28-14, and took a 33-23 lead at the end of three.

Republic quickly got back in it in the fourth as they scored five points in first 45 seconds and cut the lead in half.

The Tigers pulled to within three points with 3:40 left in the fourth before the Irish went ahead 42-37 on a Riley McKay layup.

Lafayette wouldn’t score again.

Republic tied the game at 42 and then Canyon Smith hit a three-point shot with seven seconds left to give the Tigers their first lead since 4-3 and Lafayette couldn’t get a shot off to try and tie the game.

Republic won the game from the foul line as they made 18-for-24, including 16-for-21 in the second half.  Lafayette went just 6-for-9 the entire game.

Kurth led the Fighting Irish with 13 points, while Chester Goudeau added eight and Billy Cook scored six points.

The Lafayette boys’ basketball team will play for their first state championship since 1976 as the Fighting Irish were able to defeat Farmington Friday night, 46-41, in their Class 4 seminal inside Mizzou Arena.

Lafayette has now won 16 consecutive games and they improve to 25-4.  They’ll play Republic, the defending state champions, at 8:10 PM Saturday in the Class 4 final as the Tigers defeated Helias in three overtimes, 67-62.

The Fighting Irish jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead on Farmington Friday night as Xavier Kurth scored all ten and LHS led 17-8 after the first quarter.

Farmington battled back and pulled to within two points at halftime, 22-20, and they were down only four points, 34-30 at the end of the third quarter.

The Knights then took their first lead of the game, 38-37, with 4:05 to play in the fourth quarter and also led 40-39 before the Irish took the lead for good.

Curtis Hubbard converted a three-point play and Lafayette ended the game on a 7-1 run to advance to the state championshp game.

Kurth ended with 20 points and 10 rebounds, while Gary Wilkinson added 12 points.

The state championship game will air live on 680 KFEQ and here on StJosephPost.com

The Lafayette boys’ basketball team is back in the Class 4 Final Four for the second time in four years as they used a dominating performance to overwhelm Grandview, 70-43, in their quarterfinal matchup Saturday at the Independence Events Center.

It’s the 15th consecutive win for the Fighting Irish as they improve to 24-4 and they’ll meet Farmington (21-9) in the Class 4 Semifinals Friday at 6:00 PM inside Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

Lafayette fell behind 2-0, but that was the only deficit they had the entire night as Billy Cook made five three-pointers in the first quarter and the Irish rolled to a 24-6 lead after one.

Cook made a 35-footer at the buzzer to cap of the impressive opening eight minutes and Lafayette continued to dominate the Bulldogs after that.

LHS scored the first five points of the second quarter and they led 37-14 at halftime.

The lead grew to as many as 30 points in the second half and Grandview never got closer than 22 as they fell to 23-6 on the season.  The Bulldogs had not lost to a team from Missouri until Saturday night.

The Fighting Irish were led by Cook’s 19 points, while Xavier Kurth and Chester Goudeau added 15.  Gary Wilkinson also finished in double figures with 12 points.

Before Lafayette’s run to the Final Four in 2011, the last trip for the Irish was back in 1976.

Lafayette’s game with Farmington at 6:00 PM on Friday will air live on 680 KFEQ and here on stjosephpost.com.

The Lafayette boys’ basketball team led wire-to-wire Thursday against Liberty North in their Class 4 Sectional game at Staley High School as they beat the Eagles 53-41.

The Fighting Irish improve to 23-4 this season and advance to the Class 4 quarterfinals for the second time in four years.

Lafayette led 10-9 after the first quarter, but then outscored Liberty North 20-5 in the second quarter to take control of the game and they led 30-14 at halftime.

Xavier Kurth scored 18 first half points as the Irish went 8-for-13 from the field in the second quarter and they made four three-point field goals.

Lafayette extended its lead to 18 points in the third quarter before Liberty North chipped away.

The Eagles pulled to within nine points in the fourth quarter but that was as close as they’d get.

Kurth ended the game with 21 points, while Gary Wilkinson scored 11 and Billy Cook added nine points.

It’s the 14th consecutive win for Lafayette as they will face Grandview in the quarterfinals on Saturday at 7:45 p.m. inside the Independence Event Center.  The game will be broadcast on 680 KFEQ and on stjosephpost.com.

The Lafayette boys basketball team won its second consecutive district championship Friday night as they defeated Savannah in the Class 4 District 16 title at Lafayette high school, 48-35.

The Fighting Irish improve to 22-4 this season and they’ll play a Class 4 sectional game Wednesday at Staley high school against either Liberty North or Lincoln Prep.

Savannah jumped out to a 10-0 lead Friday night as they played well early, but Lafayette answered with their own 10-0 run to end the first quarter and the game was tied after one.

The Irish extended their run in the second quarter as it grew to a 19-2 run before Savannah scored the final six points of the half and LHS led 19-18 at halftime.

After the break, it was all Lafayette.

The Fighting Irish opened the third quarter on a 17-0 run and they were threaten by Savannah in the second half as they cruised to the district title.

Billy Cook, Xavier Kurth and Gary Wilkinson each scored 11 points for Lafayette.

Bert Ernst led the Savages with 17 as Savannah ends its season 16-11.

The Lafayette boys’ basketball team advanced to the Class 4 District 16 tournament championship with a 54-40 victory over Chillicothe Thursday night.

The Fighting Irish improve to 21-4 and they’ll play Savannah in the title game Friday night after the Savages beat Smithville 56-50 in the second semifinal at Lafayette High School.

Lafayette fell behind early to Chillicothe 12-5, but they used a 19-2 run and eventually led 24-17 at halftime.

After the Hornets pulled to within four points early in the third quarter, the Irish went on an 18-4 run and their lead grew to as many as 20 points, 46-26, before winning by 14.

Billy Cook, Chester Goudeau and Xavier Kurth led Lafayette as they each scored 12 points.

In the second semifinal, Savannah trailed 10-8 early in the second quarter, but used a 7-0 run and never gave the lead back.

Bert Ernst led the way for the Savages with 18 points and Jesse Dickens scored 13.

Savannah improves to 16-10 this season.

The two championship games on Friday from the Class 4 District 16 tournament will be live on 680 KFEQ.  The girls title game will tip at 5:30 p.m. as Benton will meet Lafayette.  And then Lafayette battles Savannah in the boys championship at 8:00 p.m.

Elshwere Thursday night, the Central girls had their season come to an end as they fell to North Kansas City, 67-57, in the Class 5 District 15 semifinals.

The Indians finished with a 15-11 record.