Hillsboro stay hot
Staff writers
If there’s any truth to the belief you want to be playing your best toward the end of the season, Hillsboro’s basketball teams are doing just that.
Both the boys’ and girls’ teams stayed hot entering the final week of the regular season with home finales against Lyons.
The boys stayed a game under .500 at 9-10 overall with a 71-40 victory — the Trojans’ fourth consecutive in another unbeaten week.
It took just a quarter for the boys to get going after Lyons jumped out to an 18-12 lead. Once Hillsboro got in gear, it was downhill, with the Trojans building a 33-24 lead by halftime.
The Trojans put the game out of reach the third with a 25-11 blitz.
Hillsboro continued blazing shooting, hitting 69% from the field, 57% from outside while holding the Lions to 38%. The Trojans’ defense forced 21 turnovers, 10 coming from steals for 33 points.
Brekyn Ratzlaff scored a game-high 24 points while dishing out 8 assists and 4 steals. Wyatt Plenert had a career night of 16 points and pulling down a game-best 6 rebounds.
“I was pleased with the performance. We played with an edge and, as a team, looked really good tonight,” coach Darrel Knoll said. “Each player contributed to the win both offensively and defensively.”
Lanning shines
Marion may have lost Friday’s final home game, 62-36, to Elyria Christian, but Jack Lanning put on a show, scoring all but two of Marion’s points.
“Jack had a great game this past Friday,” coach Donald Raymer said. “He is the ultimate competitor.”
Carson Krause scored Marion’s other points.
“We continue to struggle offensively without Caden Wilhelm as a team, but we have played well defensively, and I have been very pleased with their defensive effort,” Raymer said.
Lanning crashed the boards as well, pulling down five defensive rebounds.
Centre undersized
Missing two of their top scorers and having a roster of just seven players, Centre was no match Friday for the tall Bulldogs of Chase County. Playing on the road, the Cougars were outrebounded and outscored and lost, 55-21.
Centre was scoreless in the first quarter, tailing trailed 19-0.
Santiago Knepp opened Centre’s scoring with a layup on the first possession of the second quarter. He made another two baskets and a free throw, and Matthew Basore scored on a long shot, but Chase County continued to pile up points. The Bulldogs led 37-9 at halftime.
Robert Spohn scored four points in the third quarter, and Knepp made a free throw. With a running clock, Spohn made 4 baskets and a free-throw for Centre, and Ja’Quin Smith added 2 points, but Centre lost by 34.
Spohn led Centre’s scoring with 9 points, including 5 of 6 free throw attempts. Knepp scored 8 points and had 7 rebounds. Dane Meier had 5 rebounds.
Centre finished the regular season 5-15. The Cougars will play 1-17 Burrton at 7 p.m. Friday at home in the first round of the Class 1A Division II sub-state.
Coach Richard Idleman thinks playing on the home court will give the Cougars an advantage.
“We are evenly matched, and we’re going to have to show up,” he said.
Goessel coasts
It was homecoming at the Bluebird gym in Goessel, and fans enjoyed an easy 67-25 victory Friday. The Bluebirds jumped out to an 8-0 lead, but Central Christian Academy narrowed the lead to 8-6. Goessel then responded with 14 consecutive points to take a commanding lead 37-14 at halftime.
Goessel sophomore Koy Smith was hot from the corners. In the second half, he unleashed four unhurried three-pointers that found their target. Homecoming king Caleb Burkholder fought hard for every loose ball and helped the Bluebirds to a 54-21 lead at the end of three quarters. With a running clock in the fourth quarter, the Bluebirds extended their lead to a 67-25 final score.
Smith led the Bluebirds, scoring 17. Burkholder had 14 Goessel ended the week with a 9-10 record with one regular season game to play. They will play in the first round of Sub-State at Solomon on Friday.
Peabody to be host
Peabody-Burns enters the Class 1A Division II substate as a No.4 seed and will play at home at 7 p.m. Friday against No. 5 seed St. Xavier.
Last modified Feb. 23, 2023