Spring Mills was the team with more energy.

Even after a 62-point loss to Fairmont Senior, the Cardinals were ready to exert some effort when Jefferson came to the Spring Mills gym last Friday.

Generally controlling the game’s pace, Spring Mills loosed useful scoring from Rohan Parchment, Darrius Bush, Christian Henderson and Shawn Baker to methodically get free from Jefferson and down the Cougars, 66-41.

Spring Mills used the free throw line for the most part to score 26 points in the fourth quarter, as technical and personal fouls mounted up against the always-struggling Cougars.

Jefferson’s task was made more difficult because it got nothing on offense from any of its inside players. Only Scooter Gaskins and Taylor Tennant managed much on the offensive end for the Cougars, who had lost to Washington in their previous game and failed to find a spark against the Cardinals.

Jefferson was 5-8 following its latest loss and Spring Mills had improved only to 6-7 overall.

Lacking its own inside offense, the Cardinals got the necessary upbeat tempo they badly needed in order to win.

Parchment, Bush and Baker were the major instruments in the Cardinals’ getting a low-scoring 13-5 lead after one quarter. Gaskins had all five of Jefferson’s points. In the second period, Jefferson found itself floundering again and tried to pressure Spring Mills after dropping into a 21-7 hole on the scoreboard. The strategy did virtually nothing to dampen Spring Mills’ 28-16 lead by halftime.

Spring Mills found its own scoring desert in the third quarter, going the first 5:30 without scoring a point. However, the Cardinals still led, 28-22.

When the suddenly awake Cardinals notched the next 10 points, they had what appeared to be a safe 38-24 lead with but one period to play.

Jefferson’s repulsed efforts at trying to catch the Cardinals in the last stages weren’t successful as the Cardinals repeatedly shot free throws and made enough of them to outscore the Cougars, 26-17, in the last eight minutes.

The only categories where Jefferson had higher numbers were in turnovers, personal fouls, missed field goal attempts and technical fouls. Jefferson had fewer rebounds, steals and assists, and a lower shooting percentage from the field.

Spring Mills, with no inside presence itself, won going away.