MOUNDRIDGE WILDCAT BASKETBALL

WILDCAT BOYS/GIRLS BOTH EARN TRIPS TO STATE!!!

By Staff

            MOUNDRIDGE – It was a big weekend for the Moundridge boys and girls basketball programs as the Wildcat boys used a 42-30 win over Berean Academy to remain unbeaten and earn a trip to make a run at a third straight Class 2A state  championship while the Lady Wildcats scored a 53-31 victory over Remington to stamp a ticket to the Class 2A state girls tournament.

            The Wildcat boys, still ranked number one in Class 2A, will take an unbeaten, 23-0, and top seed with them to Manhattan for their first-round matchup with eight-seed Pittsburg/St. Mary’s Colgan (13-10) on Wednesday afternoon. Whoever wins the game will then face off with the winner of fourth-seed  Valley Falls (19-4), and fifth seed Syracuse (19-4). In the other bracket will be second seeded Sterling (20-3) playing seventh-seed Cottonwood Falls/Chase County (14-9) along with third seed  Ell-Saline (20-3) and sixth seed Rossville (16-7).

            Like the boys, the Lady Wildcats will also be the top-seed at the state tournament, though they are just 21-2 overall and ranked second in Class 2A. The Moundridge girls will open play at the state tournament in Manhattan on Thursday afternoon against eight-seed Hays/Thomas More Prep/Marian (15-9). The winner will play on Friday against the winner of fourth-seed Phillipsburg (20-3), and fifth seed Iman (19-3). The other bracket for the girl’s tournament will include second-seed Pittsburgh/St. Mary’s Colgan (21-2) playing seventh-seed Blue Rapids/Valley Heights (16-8) and the game matching third-seed Cottonwood Falls/Chase County (20-3) and sixth-seed, Highland/Doniphan West (17-5).

            For the Wildcat boys, Berean Academy played it close in the first half, with Moundridge only owning a three-point, 11-8 lead after one quarter and just a single point, 17-16, advantage at the halftime break. Coming out of the break, the Wildcats gave themselves a little cushion with a five point, 30-25, lead at the end of three quarters before pulling away for the final 12-point, 42-30 victory.

            Bear Moddelmog led the team in scoring with 17 points while both Kaizer Kanitz and Heath Churchill each scored eight.

            The Lady Wildcats dominated their game on the boards by pulling down 31 rebounds in the 22-point, 53-31, win.

            Hattie Hecox and Cammi Unruh each reached double digits in the scorebook with 13 and 10 points, respectively, while Addy Patrick chipped in with nine and Macy Kaminkow scored nine. Kaminkow and freshman Mackie Conkling dominated the rebounding with both pulling down seven rebounds, Aspyn Stox grabbed six.

MOUNDRIDGE WILDCAT BOYS  vs. Berean Academy, Friday. March 7, Sub-State Championship

SCORING = Wildcats won 42-30.

Wildcats = 11-6-13-12 = 42; Berean Academy = 8-8-9-5 = 30.

WILDCAT INDIVIDUAL SCORING = Bear Moddelmog – 17; Kaizer Kanitz, Heath Churchill – 8;  Kepple Adolf – 5; Layton Schmidt, Henry Hecox – 2. 3-Pointers Made (2) = Kanitz, Adolf – 1.

MOUNDRIDGE LADY WILDCATS vs. Remington, Saturday, March 8, Sub-State Championship

SCORING = Lady Wildcats won 53-31

LADY WILDCAT TEAM STATS = 2fgs – 12/32; 3pts – 5/21; fts – 14/17; asst – 6; rebs – 31; stls – 12; blks – 1; to – 9.

LADY WILDCAT INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS =

Scoring (53) = Hattie Hecox – 13; Cammi Unruh – 10;  Addy Patrick – 9; Macy Kaminkow – 8; Aspyn Stos, Mackie Conkling – 5; Halle Hecox – 3.

3-Pointers Made (5) = Unruh, Add. Patrick, Stos, Conkling, Hal. Hecox – 1.

Assists (6) = Hat. Hecox – 3; Hal. Hecox – 2; Unruh – 1.

Rebounds (31) = Kaminkow, Conkling – 7; Stos – 6; Ad. Patrick – 4; Hat. Hecox, Unruh – 3; Hal. Hecox – 1.

Steals (12) = Unruh – 5; Hat. Hecox, Conkling, Hal. Hecox – 2; Kaminkow – 1.

Blocked Shots (1) = Kaminkow – 1.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)