Michael Burkholder looks for an opening against Stryker's Dillon Gansmiller, Thursday, Jan. 8. The Birds defeated Fayette on Jan. 15 to keep their record perfect at 9-0.- photo by Mary Huber The Pettisville boys basketball team hosted the Fayette Eagles, Thursday, Jan. 15, for a Buckeye Border Conference matchup.

The Birds, ranked 14th in Ohio's Division IV by the Associated Press, outscored Fayette in every quarter on their way to a 70-44 victory.

PHS upped its record to 9-0, 4-0 BBC. Fayette dropped to 4- 5, 1-3 BBC.

Pettisville started the game with a fast pace, scoring 23 first-quarter points to Fayette's 14 for a nine-point lead.

The Birds led 38-24 with time winding down in the second quarter when Michael Deffely passed the ball to Quinn Nofziger in the corner. Nofziger hit a buzzer-beating three-point shot to give the Birds a 41-24 lead at the half.

Pettisville held Fayette to four third-quarter points while scoring 12 to open a 53-28 lead going into the final quarter. Pettisville outscored the Eagles 17-16 in the fourth for the 70- 44 final.

Deffely led the Birds, who had 10 of 11 players score, with 22 points. He also had five assists and five steals. Nofziger chipped in 15 points.

Pettisville was 12/17 from the foul line for 71% and 26/52 from the floor for 50%, including six treys.

Fayette was 12/21 from the charity stripe for 57% while going 14/36 from the field, including four treys, for 39%. Evan Stolzfus was the only Eagle in double figures, with 14 points.

The Eagles out-rebounded PHS 30-26; Michael Haase led the Pettisville rebounding effort, with eight.

Fayette committed 20 more turnovers, 35-15.

BOX SCORES

PETTISVILLE (70) - Miller 3, Avina 1, Deffely 22, Burkholder 8, Q. Nofziger 15, King 3, Klopfenstein 7, Lemley 3, Haase 4, L. Nofziger 4. Totals 26-12-70.

FAYETTE (44) - Kovar 2, Kline 1, Hylander 1, Stolzfus 14, Rodriguez 5, Griffiths 4, Randall 2, Keefer 9, Richardson 6. Totals 14-12-44.