Sharing a Four Rivers Conference (FRC) boys basketball title last year with Union’s Wildcats, Jake Witthaus’ Hermann Bearcats went into their Saturday showdown on the road against Pacific’s Indians looking for their first outright title since 2003.

Trailing 24-23 after three quarters, Hermann kicked their offense into a higher gear outscoring the Indians 26-14 helping them to a perfect 7-0 run through the FRC slate following a 49-38 victory.

Coulter Schwartze led three Bearcats in double figures with 14 points to go along with a double double of 11 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots from Daeden Hopkins.

Easton Stiers also added 10 points and two assists for Witthaus’ Bearcats.

John Hiatt and Nolan Brune each added seven points rounding out Hermann’s scoring against Pacific.

Brune also added a team-high five assists and three steals to his seven points.

Gage Clark led Pacific with 11 points.

Racing out to a 15-2 lead after one quarter, Drew Lansford’s Hermann JV Bearcats led 30-16 at halftime before going on to a 44-28 victory to end their season.

Ryker Ash scored 12 of his game-high 15 points in the first half for the JV Bearcats.

Myles Stiers joined Ash in double figures scoring eight of his 12 points in the second quarter.

Kohlt Witthaus and Tayven Hopkins each chipped in six points.

Ashton Rucker added a fourth-quarter 3-pointer for three points while Aiden Eikermann rounded out the scoring for Hermann with two points on a first-quarter bucket.

Last Tuesday night along Highway 100, Hermann posted a 58-28 victory over New Haven’s Shamrocks behind 15 points and five assists from Brune.

Schwartze also reached double figures with 12 points, eight rebounds, four steals and three assists.

Hiatt just missed double digits finishing with nine points, six assists, five steals and three rebounds.

In a rescheduled home game last Monday against Capital City, Hermann came out on the wrong end of a 59-41 final score in varsity action behind a team-high 13 points from Hiatt.

Lansford’s JV Bearcats took down Capital City’s JV Cavaliers 49-37 behind an impressive 29-point effort from Witthaus.

Ending their regular season at 19-6 overall, Hermann will go for their 20th win of the season tomorrow (Thursday) night in first-round action at the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3, District 7 Boys Basketball Tournament against the winner of South Callaway and Missouri Military Academy at 7:30 p.m.