Centre boys suffer first loss of season
A 63-57 win Jan. 6 against Tescott improved the Centre Cougars' record to 3-0 in league play. However, they suffered their first loss Saturday, when they traveled to Solomon and lost, 56-46.
In the game with Tescott, it took a while for the team to warm up. The smooth-playing Trojans took advantage. The Cougars were down 6-10 with two minutes remaining in the first quarter when Justin Garrard took a charge and followed that up with a lay-up to make the score 8-10. The quarter ended with Centre down by two, 10-12.
The second quarter was nip and tuck. At 4:55, the Cougars tied the game, 17-17 on another Garrard lay-up. A Tescott trey followed by a lay-up by Garrard and a free throw by Aaron Barney kept the game tied at 20 a piece.
The Cougars were down by three with less than a minute remaining in the half. But Todd Stahlecker sunk a trey, to end the quarter with a tied ball game, 27-27.
The game remained close in the third quarter, with numerous ties and a 41-41 score at the end.
The two teams continued to battle it out in the fourth quarter. Good free throw shooting by Travis Burns and Barney helped the Cougars to gain a five-point lead several times.
With 50 seconds remaining, the Cougars were only three points ahead at 60-57, but two Tescott fouls and free throws by Burns and Stahlecker resulted in a six-point win, 63-57.
Garrard shot 80 percent from two-point range and Barney was 50 percent from two- and three-point range. Stahlecker shot just 38 percent from two-point range but four treys helped to make him high-point man at 24 points. Barney added 16 and Burns 11.
Garrard led at the boards with 10 defensive and three offensive rebounds. Barney had six defensive and four offensive rebounds.
STATISTICS
Centre 10 17 14 22 - 63
Tescott 12 15 14 16 - 57
Total points: Daniel Mikolajcak, 4; Travis Burns, 11; Aaron Barney, 16; Todd Stahlecker, 24; Justin Garrard, 8.
Total rebounds: Mikolajcak, 3; Andrew Hajek, 6; Burns, 3; Barney, 10; Bryant Gutsch, 4; Stahlecker, 4; Garrard, 13.
Turnovers: Mikolajcak, 1; Burns, 1; Barney, 1; Gutsch, 2; Stahlecker, 2; Garrard, 1.
Assists: Hajek, 3; Burns, 4; Barney, 1; Gutsch, 3; Stahlecker, 3.
Steals: Mikolajcak, 1; Hajek, 1; Burns, 1; Barney, 1; Gutsch, 2; Stahlecker, 6; Garrard, 1.
Personal fouls: Mikolajcak, 4; Burns, 3; Barney, 2; Stahlecker, 3; Garrard, 3.
Blocks: Mikolajcak, 1; Barney, 1.
The junior varsity played only two quarters because Tescott had a limited number of players. Centre defeated Tescott, 28-22.
Seth Jirak led scoring with 13 points. Others who contributed points were Andrew Hajek, six, Tad Remy, five, and Lance Diepenbrock and Trent Hajek, two each.
Centre vs. Solomon
The Cougars got off to a bad start in the game with Solomon. Cold shooting resulted in an 18-6 score at the end of the first quarter.
They picked up their play in the second quarter, scoring 14 points compared to eight by Tescott, coming to within six points, 26-20, at halftime.
The second half was a repeat of first half, with the Cougars scoring only seven points in the third quarter compared to 20 by Solomon, but outscoring Solomon 19-10 in the final quarter.
The comeback wasn't enough to make up the deficit, resulting in the first league loss of the season.
Aaron Barney and Justin Garrard were high-point men with 10 each. Todd Stahlecker scored seven points including a single trey. Travis Burns had nine points.
Other scorers were: Bryant Gutsch, four; Andrew Hajek, three; Tad Remy, two; and Trent Hajek, one.
The junior varsity defeated Solomon 58-46. Seth Jirak led scoring with 14 points, followed by Kevin Mueller with 10. Thieen Antoszyk, Lance Diepenbrock, and Tad Remy added eight points each, Andrew Hajek and Trent Hajek four each, and Alfonse Klenda two.
