When the Wellsville-Middletown boys basketball team picked up its fourth-place trophy in last year’s Class 1 Show-Me Showdown at Springfield, Dylan Alsop had his eyes welled up in tears while watching his teammates receiving their medals on the Jumbotron.

Alsop couldn’t believe that he played for a Final Four team in his second year with the W-M program.

“That was just a dream true,” Alsop said. “Nobody had faith in us. We proved them all wrong. It was just a memory for a lifetime.”

This year, Alsop is hoping to wrap up his high school basketball career by helping the Tigers get back to the state tournament. He’s one of five seniors on the team.

“We want it badly,” Alsop said. “We all want to try to work together and be a team and show leadership for the younger kids.”

Alsop and the Tigers returned to the court on Nov. 22, when they took on Community R-6 in their season opener. Unfortunately, they left the Laddonia school with a loss as the Trojans won 53-35.

“It didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but it’s the first game,” Alsop said.

Alsop and senior Jacob Mandrell turned in strong efforts, scoring 11 points apiece. But they couldn’t find a way to stop Community senior Gavin Allen as he finished with 32 points, including 19 in the second half.

“He had a great game,” Alsop said. “We prepared for him, but we didn’t expect him to play the way he did. He sure capitalized on that.”

Alsop, who averaged two points per game last year, said he was pleased with his effort in the season opener. He scored seven of his points in the first half, including a 3-pointer with 6:39 left in the opening quarter that gave W-M a 5-1 lead.

“I just came out here to play and be a team player,” Alsop said. “I try to show leadership for these younger guys. We have a couple of kids who haven’t played any varsity.”

The Tigers lost two key players – Keaton Mayes and all-state performer Isaac Seabaugh – to graduation. They are also playing without senior Logan Pursifull until January as he recovers from a torn ACL injury.

Besides the seniors, W-M also has four returning sophomores, including Carson Huff, who averaged 8.5 points per game last year and finished with seven points against Community in the season opener.

“We’ve been playing the younger ones,” Mandrell said. “It’s been nice to get them in, also. Once (Logan) gets back, it’s going to be nice to have him back because we’ll be a new team.”

Mandrell, who averaged three points per game a year ago, scored eight of his points in the second half. He gave his team a 28-27 lead with a basket with 4:26 left in the third quarter before the Trojans came back with an 8-1 run to run away from the Tigers.

“It was nice to play in the big spots since Logan is gone,” Mandrell said. “It’s a whole different thing.”

Sophomore Gage Marshall finished with four points and senior CJ Curd added two for the Tigers, who lost to Community for the first time since 2018.