SPRINGFIELD — Lehman Catholic stayed close with Springfield Catholic Central all Saturday night in a nonconference game at Jason Collier Gymnasium, but a slow third quarter was too much to overcome in a 45-42 loss, which was the team’s first of the season.

The Cavaliers managed two points in the third quarter while the Fighting Irish rattled off 11 points, including a steal and layup by sophomore guard Ashton Young, who later made a three-point play that doomed Lehman.

“That was tough,” Lehman Catholic coach Pat Carlisle said. “Not getting any points there for a while, and we very careless with the ball at times.”

Lehman started out the game fine on the offensive end as they were content on shooting 3-pointers or dishing it inside to 6-foot-5 freshman Justin Chapman. Chapman was controlling the inside as Luke Frantz and Brendan O’Leary hit early 3s to help the Cavaliers take a 15-14 lead the end of the first.

The teams mostly traded points in the second until Frantz hit a late 3 to give Lehman a 25-23 lead at halftime. Frantz finished with a game-high 22 points and had five rebounds.

Outside of Frantz, few other Lehman players could score in the second half. The Irish didn’t have the same offensive woes.

Tyler Galluch hit two consecutive 3-pointers early in the third to give Catholic Central a 28-25 lead, and Young later added his five points to help extend the squad’s lead to 35-27 lead heading into the fourth.

Lehman was able to shoot better in the fourth quarter but had too many turnovers to mount a comeback.

In one sequence in the fourth, O’Leary came away with a steal but missed a layup, and the Cavaliers then missed two put-back attempts before the Irish got the rebound. Lehman had to foul Young late, and he hit six free throws in the final minutes to help the Irish stave off a comeback attempt.

Lehman’s biggest hope late came thanks to David Rossman and Frantz. Rossman hit one late 3 and Frantz hit a pair of 3s, the last of which came with a minute left to narrow the gap to 45-42.

Catholic Central’s Patrick Kavanagh missed a pair of late free throws, and Frantz missed a forced 3 with about four seconds left, and Lehman wasn’t able to get off another shot.

Aside from Frantz, Rossman added 11 points for Lehman and Chapman finished with six points, six rebounds and three blocks.

“He is still growing and shows promise,” Carlisle said of Chapman. “He is very young and will develop for us down the road.”

O’Leary added eight points and had five rebounds for Lehman (2-1), which will play next on Friday at Upper Scioto Valley in Northwest Central Conference action.

Young led Catholic Central (1-4) with 16 points while Ian Galluch added 14 and freshman Tyler Galluch added nine. The Irish, which lost to St. Henry in a regional semifinal last year, started four sophomores and a junior.