Trever Koch scored 16 points as the Ithaca Bulldogs opened the 2011-12 basketball season with a 56-39 win over the Wonewoc-Center Wolves at Ithaca last Tuesday night.
    Shooting 52.5 percent from the field, Coach Glen Brown’s team pulled away with a strong second half.
    Connor Fieldhouse accounted for 11 points and Garrett Huffar 10 for the Bulldogs. Nate Hauser contributed seven, John Fieldhouse six, Cameron Magee four and Kaleb Bindl two.
    Jordan Polk led Wonewoc-Center with 11 points while Cory Olson had seven and Gabe Benson five. Huson, Adams, and Schroeder each added four and Brockman and Goodenough two apiece.    
    Ithaca, which hit 10 of 16 from beyond the arc, jumped out to an 8-0 as Huffar and Koch booked threes. Ithaca stretched its early lead to 13-4 and held a 15-8 lead after one quarter before foul trouble allowed the Wolves to stage a comeback. Hitting six of 10 free throws in the second quarter, W-C tied the game, 21-21, and then took the lead when Olson scored.
    Ithaca quickly regained the lead as Connor Fieldhouse drilled a three and never trailed again. Hauser’s two free throws in the waning seconds of the first half gave Ithaca a 30-27 edge at the break.
    The Bulldogs broke the game open with a 11-2 spurt to start the second half. Magee, held scoreless in the first half, converted two offensive rebounds. Huffar, Koch and Connor Fieldhouse each added threes as the Bulldogs, with a 20-4 surge, took a 50-31 lead after three quarters. The Wolves never seriously threatened down the stretch but outscored the Bulldogs, 8-6, in the fourth quarter.  
    The Bulldogs’ next action will be Thursday night when they host North Crawford in the Ridge and Valley Conference opener for both teams. Both teams loom as potential title contenders.
    On Monday night, the Bulldogs will travel to New Lisbon for their first non-conference road test of the season.