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BOWLING GREEN – It doesn’t matter how you win this time of the season but the goal is to just find a way to win.

Wayne Trace did just that in Wednesday’s Division III regional semifinal as the Raiders made just enough plays to post a 34-29 victory over Canton Central Catholic in the Stroh Center on the campus of Bowling Green State University.

It was a night that saw only one team score double-digit points in a quarter, that being Wayne Trace’s ten in the final stanza. Otherwise, the Crusaders were held to single digits in all four periods and the Raiders didn’t get twin digits in the first three periods.

The red, white and blue held a slim 8-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter but the Crusaders responded in the second quarter.

Canton Central Catholic took its first lead since the game’s opening basket on a three-point play by Damonte DeGraffenried put the Crusaders on top 16-13.

However, Kyle Stoller answered for Wayne Trace with a basket just before halftime to pull the Raiders within 16-15 at the intermission.

The Raiders then took the lead for good in the third quarter.

Brooks Laukhuf put the Raiders on top 17-16 before a Tanner Laukhuf three-pointer at the 4:16 mark widened the advantage to 20-16.

The Raiders went on to take a 24-20 lead into the final period after a Brooks Laukhuf basket with 17 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

“I thought we did a little better job in the second half against their zone,” commented Raider head coach Jim Linder. “It was a little different version of a typical 3-2 zone and we struggled against it there in the first half.”

The Crusaders, though, wouldn’t go away.

Canton Central Catholic cut the deficit to one at 28-27 after a Finley Stewart three-pointer with 3:58 on the clock.

Wayne Trace then extended the margin with a pair of Kyle Stoller foul shots before a Stoller bucket at the 1:12 mark put the Raiders on top 32-27.

Luke Vlacosky got the Crusaders within 32-29 with 37 seconds remaining before a Canton Central Catholic foul sent Stoller to the charity stripe.

Despite two consecutive free throw misses by Stoller and Cale Winans, Tyler Davis and Stoller each picked up an offensive rebound to keep the Raiders in possession. After the ball was knocked out of bounds, Tanner Laukhuf found junior brother Brooks Laukhuf for a layup that sealed the red, white and blue win.

“I thought defensively we did a pretty good job on them,” Linder added.

Finley Stewart led the way for Canton Central Catholic with 11 points while DeGraffenried added seven and Dylan Rouse posted four. Rouse also grabbed six rebounds to lead the Crusaders, who finish their season with a record of 16-10.

Stoller topped Wayne Trace with 18 points and eight boards while Brooks Laukhuf recorded 13 markers, three rebounds, two assists and three steals. Tanner Laukhuf had three points and three rebounds for the red, white and blue.

Cale Winans dished out four assists for the Raiders with Brooks Laukhuf and Hudson Myers posting two each. Brooks Laukhuf and Davis finished with three and two steals, respectively.

Davis also hauled down five rebounds for Wayne Trace.

Wayne Trace, which improves to 21-6 overall, advances to take on Ottawa Glandorf on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Bowling Green.