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COVID disrupts area tournaments

Hillsboro boys games canceled, Centre High teams take the court at classics

Marion County basketball’s ongoing struggle with COVID-19 hit the court last week as quarantined players and safety concerns altered area tournaments and canceled games.

Hillsboro’s Trojan Classic and Centre’s Cougar Classic altered their first- through seventh-place format to have teams play a set three opponents for both boys and girls teams.

Locations for games also were changed in favor of having teams play at home instead of gathering in one high school, Centre High athletic director Timothy Vinduska said.

“We just decided since there were so many teams it would be safer to have them play individual games,” he said.

Hillsboro boys Friday and Tuesday tournament matchups against Republic County and Riley County had to be canceled because too many of the opposing teams’ players were in quarantine, said Robert Rempel, Hillsboro High’s athletic director.

Organizers tried to find alternate teams to play, he said.

Marion girls break losing streak

Marion girls snapped an 8-game slide Saturday night whipping the Solomon Gorillas, 47-26. 

The Warriors built a 12-8 lead after the first quarter and stretched it to 21-16 by halftime behind a balanced scoring attack that had nine players contribute. 

Grace Hett and Jayden May combined for 24 points with 12 apiece, and Marion broke open a 33-24 game heading into the final stage with a 14-2 run. 

Marion’s victory lifts its record to 1-8 on the season. 

Marion High boys entered Friday’s contest against the visiting Elyria Christian Eagles, riding a four-game winning streak. 

The Eagles cooled off the Warriors with a 61-35 defeat and the Gorillas dropped the team to 4-8 Saturday, handing the Warriors a 68-56 second-straight loss.

Trojan boys beat Holcomb

The Trojans shook off the rust of not having played for eight days Saturday, and managed to outlast the Holcomb Longhorns, 66-54 to move to 7-2 on the year.

Longhorn Zephyn Mason scored a game-high 31 points, but a balanced scoring attack led by Matt Potucek’s team-best 18 points, and Hillsboro crushing Holcomb in rebounding 39-26, neutralized the Longhorns. 

Brekkyn Ratzlaff added 16 points, Grayson Ratzlaff scored 15 to go along with his game-best 11 rebounds for a double-double, and Dillon Boldt chipped in 10. 

The Trojan girls didn’t have the easiest time, but still went unbeaten through the classic, topping Riley County Friday, 32-22, and Holcomb Saturday, 48-39. 

Jessica Saunders scored a game-high 12 points and Zaylee Werth tossed in 11 to lift Hillsboro to 9-2 for the season. 

Peabody-Burns has winning weekend

  The Peabody-Burns Warriors are off to their best start in years for boys’ coach Bob Kyle at 7-2.  

The Warriors completed the week 2-1 after falling to Elyria Christian Tuesday. 

The Warriors bounced back Friday night to top Herington, 54-40, and kept rolling Saturday, downing Wakefield, 66-46. 

Centre teams take the court

Centre basketball teams saw their first action of the season last week.

Senior Lane Methvin is the only returning starter on the boys’ team. The others are underclassmen with little varsity experience.

The Cougars lost to Wakefield at home Friday, 59-43.

They got off to a slow start and didn’t start scoring until the second quarter, when they matched Wakefield, 20-20.

They got within four points in the third quarter but ran into foul trouble. Centre had only four players on the floor in the final minute.

Methvin led scoring with 14 points, followed by Mikey Silhan with 13. Tanner Stuchlik had eight rebounds.

Centre lost to Rural Vista at White City on Saturday, 43-26, mainly on cold shooting. Methvin made nine points and had 14 rebounds and three steals. Freshman Santiago Knepp had five steals.

After defeating Solomon on the road last Tuesday, the girls were defeated by Wakefield on Friday, 44-36.

They stayed within 10 points for most of the game but weren’t able to get an offensive run going. Samantha Espinoza had a good fourth quarter.

The Cougars lost to Rural Vista, 43-28, on Saturday. The Heat were hot from the 3-point line “with good and patient passing until they got a good look,”

Coach Alan Stahlecker said. Centre was too quick to shoot and had few passes, he said.

Goessel boys win at Burrton, girls lose

The Goessel boys picked up one win at the Burrton Tournament.

Turnovers doomed Goessel’s chance with Inman on Tuesday and the Bluebirds fell 60-41. Inman extended their lead in every quarter.

Nate Zogleman led the team with 11 points. Caiden Duerksen and Skyler Wuest added 9 points each.

On Thursday the Bluebirds went cold in the second and third quarters as Central Christian built a lead 40-19.

An inspired defense in the fourth quarter allowed Goessel to cut into the deficit with multiple steals that led to 22 points in the final quarter. Goessel lost by a final score 52-41. Eddie Gaeddert and Skyler Wuest each scored 11 points. Nate Zogleman added 10, Caiden Duerksen 5, Jacob Schrag 2 and Luke Wiens 2.

Against the host school on Friday, Goessel jumped out to a 9-0 lead and never let Burrton back into the game. The Bluebirds led 38-11 at half-time and the winless Chargers did not score in the third quarter. Goessel won by a final score of 63-13.

Scoring for the Bluebirds were Skyler Wuest 15, Nate Zogleman 12, Caiden Duerksen 9, Eddie Gaeddert 8, Jacob Schrag 5, Dawson Stutzman 5, Jacob Wiens 4, Logan Sterk 4 and Luke Wiens 1.

The Bluebird boys have an overall record of 7-4 and a Wheat State League record of 3-0. The Goessel boys will be at Moundridge for a non-league game on Friday.

Goessel’s Noah Schrag won the Freshman Free Throw Shooting Contest at the Burrton Tournament. Schrag hit 86.7% of 75 free-throws. Each of the eight schools at the tournament sent a freshman to represent their team.

Goessel girls Kaleigh Guhr hit a three pointer and Lyna Lehrman scored two baskets from close range as Goessel led 7-6 early in the game.

That would be the last lead for the Bluebirds as the taller Moundridge team dominated the rest of the game.

The Bluebirds trailed at the quarters 7-12, 14-30, 20-52, and lost by a final score 23-56.

Eight different players scored for the Bluebirds. Bethany Herrel led the team with 6 points, followed by Lyna Lehrman with 4. Kaleigh Guhr and Elizabeth Schmucker each had 3.

Jaicee Griffin, Cheyenne Sawyer, and Rachael Zogleman each scored 2 points and Hailey Lowrance scored 1 point.

The Goessel girls are now 3-6 overall and 0-3 in the Wheat State League. They are scheduled to play in the Fairfield Tournament Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Last modified Jan. 28, 2021

 

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