Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

NEW PHILADELPHIA — The challenges keep coming and the Fairland Dragons keep responding.
The latest tough opponent for the Dragons was the Dayton Chaminade-Julienne Eagles as the teams squared off in the Tuscarawas Catholic Classic on Thursday with Fairland posting a 65-58 win.
Isaiah Howell — named the player of the game — led the Dragons with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Luke Thomas also had 17 points plus 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Gunner Short got 12 points and Kollin Van Horn had 10 points and 10 rebounds as Fairland improved to 6-0.
University of Dayton recruit Christian Montague led the Eagles (5-3) with 18 points and 11 rebounds. P’Hariz Watkins also got 18 points while Milton Gage scored 16.
Van Horn and Thomas combined for 11 points as the Dragons took a 20-14 lead.
Thomas hit a 3-pointer and scored 9 points in the second quarter as Fairland opened up a 37-23 halftime lead.
Howell had 5 points in the third quarter and the lead remained the same and it was 51-37.
Howell got 7 more points in the fourth quarter to help offset Watkins who had 8 points and Montague who got 7.
Fairland plays Sugarcreek Garaway at 8 p.m. on Friday.
Fairland    20    17    14    14    =    65
Dayton C-J    14    9    14    21    =    58
FAIRLAND (6-0): Ty Staten 2 1 1-1 8, Luke Thomas 4 3 0-1 17, Isaiah Howell 4 3 0-0 17, Kollin Van Horn 5 0 0-1 10, Keedrick Cunningham 0 0 1-2 1, Matt Mondlak 0 0 0-0 0, Dairus Stapleton 0 0 0-0 0, Gunner Short 2 2 2-2 12. Totals: 26-57 4-7 65. 3-point goals: 9-20. Rebounds: 43 (Howell 11, Van Horn 10). Assists: 18 (Staten 5, Thomas 5, Howell 4). Steals: 4 (Staten 2). Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.
CHAMINADE-JULIENNE (5-3): Christian Montague 5 1 5-6 18, Jaquel Freeman-Parks 0 0 0-0 0, P’Hariz Watkins 7 1 1-4 18, Okojie Usianeneh 0 0 1-4 1, Milton Gage 4 2 2-2 16, Nick Barnes 0 0 2-2 2, Joey Greene 0 1 0-0 3. Totals: 21-65 11-18 58. 3-point goals: 5-24. Rebounds: 29 (Montague 11, Usianeneh 6, Gage 6). Fouls: 14. Fouled out: None.