RECORD REACHED — Catholic Central’s Benji Rook celebrates becoming the program’s new all-time leading scorer after setting the new mark during the team’s win over Brifdgeport on Thursday. – Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Benji Rook stands alone atop the Catholic Central leaderboard.

Rook recorded a basket with 3:29 left in the fourth quarter to give Catholic Central a 53-36 lead against Bridgeport. The basket gave Rook 1,079 points for his career enabling him to become Catholic Central’s all-time leading scorer.

Rook added another basket as the Crusaders went on to tame the Bulldogs, 59-36, in a boys’ basketball game Thursday night inside the Mickey Barber Gymnasium.

“As a coach, to have a kid do that, you’re grateful and it is such a blessing to have one of your kids accomplish a feat like that,” Catholic Central (11-2) head coach Don Ogden said. “As a coach, you are fortunate to be a part of something like that. I have to give him all the credit. In the offseason, we worked nonstop every day to improve his game.

“One of the things I am really proud of is all of the other guys on the team are just as happy as he is that he is that he was able to accomplish becoming the all-time leading scorer in Catholic Central history.”

The Blue-and-Gold built a 25-6 lead at the end of the first forcing the visitors from Belmont County to play catch up the rest of the way.

“They started fast in the first quarter, and we started slow,” Bridgeport (5-6) head coach Donnie Cash said. “We cannot have six points in two quarters. We played well in the second and third quarters. We cut it down to nine, but we have to do a better job of keeping the game more competitive.”

The hosts outscored the hosts, 12-5, in the second quarter to close to within 30-18 at halftime. Both teams scored 16 points in the third as the victors took a 46-34 lead into the fourth. The visitors outscored the visitors, 13-2, in the fourth to account for the final score.

“It was a big game for us,” Ogden said. “They are a district opponent. They are a good team. They are young. For us, it was a huge game because Benji had the opportunity to become the school’s all-time leading scorer. Our focus was on getting the win, but we also wanted him to accomplish that feat.

“We preach to them that we have shown glimmers of being a very good team. We just have to focus on being more consistent. Defensively, we did a good job. Andrew Rohde guards the best scorer on the other team every game, and he has done a fantastic job.”

Rook recorded a game-high 19 points to lead the way for the Crusaders. Also, Camden Bradley delivered 11 points, while Timmy Mihalyo and Tommy Pergi each tallied nine.

“We wanted to slow down Rook,” Cash said. “We did a good job in the second and third quarters. We just have to start faster.”

Jaleel Vincent collected a team-high 15 points to lead the way for Bridgeport, while Coen Brinker contributed nine and Jaki Threet tallied eight.

“We are 11-2, and I’m happy with that,” Ogden said. “It’s not the end of the season. We still have a little under half of it left to go. As a coach, you are always looking for an opportunity to get better. Our next game is an opportunity for us to get better.

“I want to thank the officials and Coach Cash from Bridgeport for working with us to present Benji with an honor during the game.”

The win enabled the Crusaders to sweep the season series from the Bulldogs.

Catholic Central is scheduled to play Heartland Christian Saturday night on the road.

Bridgeport is slated to play Conotton Valley Tuesday night on the road.

Catholic Central 59, Bridgeport 36

Bridgeport 6 12 16 2 – 36

Catholic Central 25 5 16 13 – 59

BRIDGEPORT (5-6): Jackson 0 0-0 0, Threet 4 0-0 8, L. Brown 0 0-0 0, Clark 2 0-0 4, Vincent 3 6-6 15, Brinker 3 0-2 9, C. Sauvageot 0 0-0 0yo Drake 0 0-0 0, Waite 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12 6-8 36.

CATHOLIC CENTRAL (11-2): Rook 7 2-2 19, Mitchell 0 0-0 0, Poulin 0 0-0 0, Mihalyo 3 1-2 9, Rambsel 0 0-0 0, Sprocchi 0 0-0 0, Bier 0 0-0 0, Krupp 1 0-0 2, Pergi 4 1-2 9, Rohde 1 1-2 3, Bradley 4 3-3 11, McInnis 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 23 8-11 59.

3-POINTERS: Bridgeport 6 (Vincent 3, Brikner 3); Catholic Central 5 (Rook 3, Mihalyo 2)