Area basketball round-up – Dec. 6

By: Aaron Pyle

 

Trojans split season opener  

            The Girard High School girls and boys basketball teams opened the regular season Friday, Dec. 6, at Ted R. Taylor Gymnasium where the Trojans set host to the Parsons Vikings.

For the girls, both teams came out of the gate missing key opportunities at the basket. Moving at an up-tempo pace, the Lady Trojans controlled the game from the beginning credited to their full-court pressure against the Vikings causing turnovers which resulted in transition baskets.

The Lady Trojans defense became the highlight of the night for the team as the stifling Girard defense held the Vikings to two points in the second half. Girard’s girls team captured their first win of the season as the team prevailed 46-12 over Parsons.

Junior Makaila Ausemus led the Lady Trojans in scoring during their dominant victory tallying up 11 points.

The Lady Trojans stay home for their next matchup Friday, Dec. 13 against CNC opponent Galena (0-1).

For the boys, the Trojans had a tough task in stopping a tall, athletic Parsons team ranked #3 in 4A by KBCA before the season start.

Fouls and turnovers haunted the Trojans throughout the first half as the full-court pressure of the Vikings and the height advantage played a key factor in the matchup.

Despite the struggle against the full-court press, the Trojans kept it close with the Vikings trailing by single-digits at the half, 31-22.

In the second half, the Vikings came out firing outscoring the Trojans in the third quarter, 24-4. The lead grew to become too much for a Trojan comeback as the Vikings handed the Trojans their first loss of the regular season, 62-37.

Senior Gabe Muia led the Trojans in scoring during Friday’s matchup finishing with 10 points.

The boys’ team will travel to Liberal (Mo) Tuesday, Dec. 10 to face the Bulldogs.

 

Lady Indians prevail, boys fall

            Friday, Dec. 6, the St. Paul Indians traveled to Galena to open the regular season against the Bulldogs.

For the Lady Indians, the team battled back and forth with the Bulldogs throughout the game. At the half, St. Paul led the Bulldogs 21-13 in a low-scoring affair. The team pulled away from the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter firing on all cylinders. Scoring 17 points in the final quarter, the Lady Indians won 46-31 over the Bulldogs.

Senior Taylor Wiatrak led all scorers for the Lady Indians as the guard finished the night with 11 points and five rebounds.

On the boys’ side, the Indians struggled to compete with the Bulldogs early after being outscored 34-9 in the first half. The lead became too much for the Indians to come back in the game as the Bulldogs handed St. Paul their first loss of the regular season, 57-23.

Senior Kaleb Lemmons led the Indians in scoring finishing with seven points.

The Indians boys and girls basketball teams stay home for their next matchup Tuesday, Dec. 10 where St. Paul hosts Chetopa in a TRL showdown.