Boys’ teams
largely outmatched
Staff writers
County teams tested their skills with early season tournament play.
Marion
Marion finished fourth Saturday at its 18th annual Warrior Classic, after dropping its final game 77-43 against Wichita Home School.
“The last three games we have played, we as a team have missed opportunities in the paint,” coach Kevin Dasenbrock said. “We will continue to work on finishing at the rim and playing through contact.”
The Warriors beat Central Christian 43-26 Friday night but wasn’t able to repeat Saturday against Wichita.
“We need to keep working on getting in basketball shape,” Dasenbrrock said. “These kids work extremely hard, and I know they are determined to get this fixed.”
At Saturday games, Jackson Howard led the team in scoring with 17 points.
Kadon Mercer scored eight; Hugh Guetterman, five; and Carson Krause and Ryker Salsbury, four each.
Marion will be on the road Friday against Sterling for its last game of the year before break.
Goessel
In the Bluebird Classic, Goessel faced off with Canton-Galva.
The Bluebirds scored first, but the Eagles scored 18 points before the Bluebirds would make another basket.
Goessel lost, 59-23. Levi Schrag led the team with eightpoints followed by seven from Brayton Base.
Competing against a much taller team from Linn, Goessel struggled against a full-court press.
The Bluebirds trailed by 20 at the end of the first quarter and lost by a final score of 58-22.
Trey Gaddis scored nine, and A.J. Hagewood dropped in five.
Against Central Christian on Saturday, the Bluebirds hoped to stay close, but scored no points in the second quarter. The Cougars won, 58-21.
Gaddis was the only Bluebird in double digits with 11 points.
Goessel will travel Friday to Douglass.
Centre
After losing to Clifton Clyde on Thursday and Rural Vista on Friday, Centre pulled together and beat tournament host Herington 48-32 Saturday.
Brogen Plett led the team in scoring with 14 points.
Kole Kroupa scored 10; Noah Brunner, nine; Colby Diepenbrock, eight; and Brady Idleman, five.
Brunner was a monster on defense pulling down 17 rebounds and making five steals.
The Cougars will hit the road Friday to play against Canton-Galva for their last game before the holiday break.
Hillsboro
The Trojans are still looking for their first victory of the season after blanking in a Moundridge tournament, and losing Friday to Lyons, 56-37.
“We continue to gain some valuable experience playing some tough talent to start the year,” coach Kyle Kroeker said. “There is no substitute for experience at the varsity level.”
Braxton Hiebert led the team Friday with 14 points. Brayson Amstutz scored 12.
“The team is getting better each and every day,” Kroeker said. “We haven’t shot the ball well, which makes each game much more challenging.”
Hillsboro will travel Friday to Southeast of Saline.
“We must keep our heads down and keep grinding,” Kroeker said.
Peabody-Burns
The Warriors did not have any games over the weekend but will be playing their last game before break Friday at home against Herington.