MINSTER -- With strong paint play from Alex Schmiesing and Tim Warnick, the Minster Wildcats were able to dominate St. Marys 66-37 Saturday night on the Wildcat hardwood. Schmiesing (6-6) and Warnick (6-5) combined for 36 points and 25 rebounds, doing most of their damage in the decisive first half.

The Roughriders started well, scoring the game's first five points, but it was all down hill from there. Minster went on a 20-0 run, as the Riders didn't score again until Bill Ruane connected with 5:30 left in the first half.

St. Marys hit just two of its first 14 attempts from the floor and finished six of 24 for the half. When Ruane got into foul trouble, the Riders were forced to post-up 6-1 sophomore Adam Graves, who also had the man-to-man assignment on Schmiesing. The Minster center took advantage of the size difference, scoring 17 of his 19 points in the first half as the Cats opened up a 32-14 lead at intermission.

Things weren't much better in the second half, as Minster continued to dominate the boards, finishing the game with a 42-14 edge in rebounding. Minster led 51-24 at the end of the third quarter and the second strings for both teams played most of the fourth quarter.

The Riders have just two seniors and two juniors in the program this season and at one point in the second half had two freshmen and three sophomores on the floor -- a first according to one longtime St. Marys basketball follower.

The loss dropped the Roughriders to 0-3, while Minster improved its record to 2-1.

Graves was the only Rider in double figures with 10 points. Nate Homan came off the bench with six points, Stephen Kill and Tyler Sampson added five each, John Meinerding and Bill Ruane four points each with Matt Fannon and Jake Meinerding chipping in two points each.

St. Marys was 13 of 49 from the floor including two of 20 from three-point land. The Riders were 10 of 12 from the free throw line and committed 15 turnovers.

Minster connected on 26 of 52 from the floor and 13 of 18 from the charity stripe. Besides Schmiesing, Warnick hit double digits for the Cats with 17 points as did Dustin Sommer with 10.