The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The HWC Hornet boys’ basketball team’s record now sits at 5-2 overall, but it very well could have been 6-1 if not for a heartbreaking one-point loss in their first game of the week’s slate.
The Hornets dropped a narrow decision to the Rugby Panthers, 51-50, but came back for a 39-32 win against Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood last Monday. Both games were non-region games.
Rugby 51, HWC 50
The Hornets jumped out early but in the end it was the Panthers holding on for the single point victory over HWC in Harvey on Friday, January 7.
Harvey-Wells County didn’t score in the first two minutes of the game but finished the first quarter with five players in the scoring column and an 8-0 run as they led 14-7 after one. The Hornets continued their run to start the second as Gabe Allmaras scored four and Madden Thorson had a steal and layup as HWC scored another eight straight points and led 22-7. Back-to-back threes from the Panther’s Lathan DeMontigny and Jacob Ripplinger stopped the 16-0 run but was answered by a two and one from Tate Grossman to give HWC a 13 point advantage. Rugby continued the hot streak as Bryceton Deplazes and Erik Foster ended the first half with treys pulling the Panthers back to within six at 25-19.
The Hornets and Panthers exchanged baskets for most of the third quarter as HWC continued to hold a six point advantage. A three from Will Kuntz and basket from Gavin Schepp to end the third quarter pulled the visitors to within 36-34 after three. Brody Schneibel scored eight points in the fourth quarter and opened the quarter with a basket tying the game at 36. Erik Foster’s two and a free throw from Will Kuntz moved the Panther lead to three, a lead they would hold for most of the fourth quarter. Trailing 47-42, Madden Thorson connected on a three pointer to cut the lead to two. Two free throws from Thorson and two more from Allmaras drew HWC back to within one at 50-49. Ripplinger made one of two free throws with 44 seconds left for the two point lead. The Hornets had some opportunities at the end to score but didn’t convert on those chances as the Panthers prevailed for the victory.
Schneibel led all scorers in the game with 18 points while Ripplinger and Foster were also in doubles with 11 and 10 respectively. Rugby made six from long range and were 7-16 from the charity stripe. HWC was led by Thorson’s 15 while Grossman and Allmaras both chipped in with 10 each. The Hornets were 11-16 from the free throw line.
The win moved Rugby to 4-3 overall.
HWC 39, M-L-S 32
HWC made 6-of-9 free- throws late in the fourth quarter, helping secure a 39-32 win over Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood in a rescheduled game in Harvey on Monday, January 10.
The Hornets and Mavericks played a close game in the first quarter, with all five Hornet starters seeing the scoring column in the opening period. Allmaras’ offensive board and free-throw to end the first quarter was the three point difference, as HWC led 12-9 after one. Field goals from Erickson and Grossman to start the second propelled the Hornets to a 16-9 lead, but two three pointers from Kellan Henry and another from Jacob Undlin helped the Mavericks take a halftime lead of 21-20. Both teams struggled controlling the ball in the first half as the teams combined for 25 turnovers, with HWC having 14.
HWC got things rolling midway through the third, as Allmaras and Grossman added buckets and Erickson scored on a two-and-one, propelling the Hornets to a 27-23 lead. A three from Joseph Savelkoul cut the Hornet lead to one as they led 29-28 with eight minutes to play.
A deuce from Ryan Morlock gave MLS a brief 32-31 lead early in the fourth, but Erickson drained four free throws in a row down the stretch helping HWC to a seven-point victory.
Erickson made 6-of-9 free-throws in the game, including five in the pivotal fourth quarter, as he led all players with 14 points. Grossman was also in double digits with 10 points. The Mavericks were led by Henry, who scored all eight of his points in the first half.
With the win, HWC moves to 5-2 on the season, while the Mavericks drop to 1-5 overall.
Nondistrict Boys’ Basketball
Rugby 51, HWC 50
at Harvey
Rugby 7 12 15 17 51
HWC 14 11 11 14 50
HWC: Madden Thorson 15, Gabe Allmaras 10, Tate Grossman 10, Alex Erickson 7, Isaac Friese 6, Keaton Keller 2.
Rugby: Brody Schneibel 18, Jacob Ripplinger 11, Erik Foster 10, Will Kuntz 4, Bryceton Deplazes 3, Lathan DeMontigny 3, Gavin Schepp 2.
HWC 39, Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood 32
at Harvey
M-L-S 9 12 7 4 32
HWC 12 8 9 10 39
HWC: Erickson 14, Grossman 10, Friese 7, Allmaras 5, Thorson 3.
M-L-S: Kellan Henry 8, Ryan Morlock 7, Joseph Savelkoul 6, Jacob Undlin 5, Riley Morlock 4, Gannon Hall 2.
