CHS boys shake off winter rust, win two
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
After suffering defeat at the hands of Hope and Herington during the pre-season tournament, the Centre High School Cougars improved their game to post victories at home against both teams during the past week.
In the pre-season tournament, the Lions squeezed out a two-point victory over the Cougars. So it came as a surprise Jan. 8 when Centre jumped to a 24-6 lead after one quarter and went on to win, 77-45.
The Lions couldn't stop Centre's strong offense and had trouble scoring against a strong defense.
James Weber was hot at the boards in the first quarter, completing four layups and a free throw. Zach Slayden nailed two three-pointers.
Hope continued to struggle to score in the second quarter, as Centre piled up basket after basket. The Cougars led 44-20 at halftime.
The second half wasn't much different than the first. The Cougars continued to score, and Slayden, Ben Krause, and Brian Burhoop each completed a three-point play. The team walked away with a sweet, 32-point victory.
Trevor Troutt scored 18 points, followed by Slayden and Weber with 17 points each. Troutt and Weber led in rebounding and Slayden led in assists.
Centre vs. Herington
With one good win under their belts, the Cougars were ready to play again Friday as Herington came to "town."
Playing to a full house, the boys once again showed their stuff, but this time it was a little tougher, as they were playing a 2A team.
Herington took a 2-0 lead on a steal, and the Cougars followed up with a layup by Trevor Troutt to tie the game.
After that, Centre went ahead and stayed ahead for the remainder of the game. Herington got within one a time or two, but the Cougars always pulled ahead. They led 27-21 at halftime.
With under a minute to play, Centre led by three, 48-45. Then Herington scored a three-pointer to tie the game and send it into overtime.
It was nip-and-tuck from there on out, but Centre held onto a slight lead throughout, finishing with a four-point lead, 58-54.
Troutt and Slayden contributed 15 points each and James Weber scored 11. Troutt and Weber led in rebounds and Krause in assists.
Other games
A game played Jan. 7 at home against Word of Life, Wichita, was competitive. Centre lead at halftime, 31-26, but was defeated, 65-59.
Scoring in double digits were: Weber 20, Slayden 15, and Troutt 14. Weber also had 14 rebounds.
In the fourth game of the week Saturday, the Cougars came up against a tough and tall Northern Heights team. It was a makeup game from the pre-season tournament at Herington.
The Cougars put up a valiant fight but were defeated 46-88. Krause scored 11 points, Weber 10, and Bryant Brunner nine.
Heading into the league tournament this week, the team's record stood at 3-5. After their marked improvement this past week, they have a chance to make a good showing.
