WILDCATS REPEAT AS CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPIONS!!!

Beat Unbeaten Lyndon 58-44!!

By Staff

DODGE CITY – They did it!! Despite the retirement of a 36-year, hall-of-fame coach and losing a pair of all-state players, the Moundridge boys came back and won their second Class 2A State Championship in two seasons.

Guided by head coach Dustan Kanitz, who came in after a long tenure of success as a top assistant for hall-of-fame coach Kurt Kinnamon in McPherson, plus the addition of his two sons, Kreighton and Kaizer, plus the return of Henry Hecox and Barrett (Bear) Moddelmog, the Wildcats had the recipe for repeat success.

Added to the top of the grand prize was the opportunity to defeat an unbeaten team from Lyndon who was led by a former nemesis in Tanner Heckel, a transfer in from Moundridge rival Inman.

While Heckel did score 21 points in the game, he fouled out trying to keep up with the Wildcats who were led by Moddelmog with 14 points, Kreighton Kanitz with 13 and Henry Hecox with 11 in their 58-44 victory.

Moundridge began the game with a five-point, 12-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter before Lyndon pulled to with four at 21-17 heading into the halftime break.

The Wildcats came out of the intermission and put a 15-point difference between them and the Tigers by the end of the third quarter before settling for the final 14-point margin of championship victory.

Lyndon had been undebated at 25-0 entering  the game while Moundridge closes out the season at 23-3.

For the Class 2A tournament, Kreighton Kanitz put up 42 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out seven assists. Zach Dixon led the team in rebounds with 18 in three games while also scoring 25. Barrett Moddelmog scored 37 points and both Kaizer Kanitz and Henry Hecox each chipped in with 21 points total.

Here are the full stats for the Class 2A State Championship game as well as stats and a game write about the Wildcats quarterfinal and semifinal games as well.

MOUNDRIDGE  WILDCATS vs. Lyndon at Class 2A State Championship

SCORING > Wildcats won 58-44 (Finish season at 23-3)

Wildcats > 12-9-19-18 = 58; Lyndon > 7-10-8-19 = 44.

TEAM STATS >

Wildcats > 2-FGs = 12/24; FTs = 16/21; 3-PTs = 6/10; ASTs = 13; REBs (off/def) = 21 (6/15); STLs = 5; BLKs = 1; TOs = 8; FLs = 17.

Lyndon > 2-FGs = 15/28; FTs = 8/12; 3-PTs = 2/8; ASTs = 5; REBs = 18 (5/13); STLs = 2; BLKs = 2; TOs = 12; FLs = 21.

WILDCATS INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS >

Scoring (58) > Barrett Moddelmog – 14; Kreighton Kanitz – 13; Henry Hecox – 11; Kaizer Kanitz – 8; Zach Dixon – 6; Heath Churchill – 4; Kepple Adolf – 2. 3-Pointers Made (6) > Moddelmog/Ka. Kanitz – 2; Hecox/Kre. Kanitz – 1.

Assist (13) > Hecox – 5; Ka. Kanitz – 3; Dixon/Adolf – 2; Churchill – 1.

Rebounds (21)  > Hecox – 4; Moddelmog/Kre. Kanitz/Dixon – 3; Ka. Kanitz/Adolf – 2; Churchill – 1.

Steals (5) > Kre. Kanitz/Hecox/Ka. Kanitz/Adolf/Layton Schmidt – 1.

Blocked Shots (1) > Moddelmog – 1.

MOUNDRIGE WILDCATS vs. Sterling at Class 2A State Semi-Finals

In the state semifinal matchup, the Wildcats took an immediate 10-point, 15-5 lead by the end of the first quarter and held a nine-point 27-18 halftime advantage. Moundridge then pushed the lead out to 14 by the end of the third before closing out for the final 11-point victory, 56-45.

The Wildcats won despite losing two starters, Kreighton Kanitz, and Henry Hecox, to fouls in the final quarter. Kanits led the team in scoring with 13 while both Barrett Moddelmog and Kaizer Kanitz each pitched in with 10. Zach Dixon  did a phenomenal job in the paint by grabbing a team high nine rebounds.

SCORING > Wildcats won 56-45.

Wildcats > 15-12-17-12 = 56; Sterling > 5-13-12-15 = 45.

TEAM STATS >        

Wildcats > FGs = 17/27; FTs = 13/25; 3-PTs = 3/14; ASTs = 11; REBs (off/def) = 36 (7/29); STLs = 9; BLKs = 5; TOs = 13; FLs = 23.

Sterling > FGs = 7/26; FTs = 16/26; 3-PTs = 5/19; ASTs = 6; REBs = 32 (11/21); STLs = 5; BLKs = 3; TOs = 13; FLs = 27.

WILDCATS INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS >

Scoring (56) > Kreighton Kanitz – 13; Barrett Moddelmog – 10; Kaizer Kanitz – 10; Henry Hecox – 7; Zach Dixon – 7; Layton Schmidt – 5; Heath Churchill – 2; Kepple Adolf – 2. 3-Pointers Made (3) > Schmidt/Moddelmog/Hecox – 1.

Assist (11) > Kre. Kanitz – 4; Ka. Kanitz/Hecox – 2; Schmidt/Churchill/Adolf – 1.

Rebounds (36) > Dixon – 9; Ka. Kanitz – 6; Hecox/Schmidt – 5; Moddelmog – 4; Kre. Kanitz/Churchill/Adolf – 1.

Steals (9) > Kre. Kanitz – 4; Ka. Kanitz – 2; Hecox/Churchill/Adolf – 1.

Blocked Shots (5) > Kre. Kanitz – 2; Dixon/Schmidt/Adolf – 1.

MOUNDRIDGE WILDCATS vs. Jefferson County at Class 2A State Quarterfinals

In the opening game of the Class 2A tournament, the Wildcats jumped on Jefferson County in taking a seven-point, 15-9, lead at the end of the first quarter and pushing it to a ten-point, 27-17, halftime advantage.

They added five points to their lead, 43-28, by the end of the third quarter before closing out for the final 18-point, 55-37, victory.

Kreighton Kanitz led the team in scoring with 16 points, Barrett Moddelmog sank three three-pointers in scoring 13 and Zach Dixon also reached double digits with 12 while leading the team in rebounds with six.

Moundridge out rebounded Jefferson City 30-15 during the game.

SCORING > Wildcats won 55-37.

Wildcats > 15-12-16-12 = 55; Jefferson County > 9-8-11-9 = 37.

TEAM STATS >

Wildcats  > 2-FGs = 11/25; FTs = 12/18; 3-PTs = 7/12; ASTs = 13; REBs (off/def) = 30 (10/20); STLs = 9; BLKs = 2; TOs = 13; FLs = 15.

Jefferson County > 2-FGs = 13/24; FTs = 5/10; 3-PTs = 2/12; ASTs = 11; REBs = 15 (4/11); STLs = 8; BLKs = 1; TOs = 14; FLs = 16.

WILDCATS INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS >

Scoring (55)  > Kreighton Kanitz – 16; Barrett Moddelmog – 13; Zach Dixon – 12; Layton Schmidt – 4; Kaizer Kanitz – 3; Henry Hecox – 3; Kepple Adolf – 3; Braden DenHartog – 1. 3-Pointers Made (7) > Moddelmog – 3; Kre. Kanitz – 2; Dixon/Adolf – 1.

Assists (13) > Ka. Kanitz/Hecox – 4; Kre. Kanitz – 3; Schmidt/Heath Churchill – 1.

Rebounds (30) > Dixon – 6; Hecox – 5; Kre. Kanitz/Schmidt/Ka. Kanitz – 3; Moddelmog/Adolf/Aiden Burge/Churchill/Jesse Lutz – 1.

Steals (9) > Moddelmog – 4; Kre. Kanitz/Dixon/Schmidt/Ka. Kanitz/Hecox – 1.

MOUNDRIGE WILDCATS vs. Sterling at Class 2A State Semi-Finals

In the state semifinal matchup, the Wildcats took an immediate 10-point, 15-5 lead by the end of the first quarter and held a nine-point 27-18 halftime advantage. Moundridge then pushed the lead out to 14 by the end of the third before closing out for the final 11-point victory, 56-45.

The Wildcats won despite losing two starters, Kreighton Kanitz, and Henry Hecox, to fouls in the final quarter. Kanits led the team in scoring with 13 while both Barrett Moddelmog and Kaizer Kanitz each pitched in with 10. Zach Dixon  did a phenomenal job in the paint by grabbing a team high nine rebounds.

SCORING > Wildcats won 56-45.

Wildcats > 15-12-17-12 = 56; Sterling > 5-13-12-15 = 45.

TEAM STATS >        

Wildcats > FGs = 17/27; FTs = 13/25; 3-PTs = 3/14; ASTs = 11; REBs (off/def) = 36 (7/29); STLs = 9; BLKs = 5; TOs = 13; FLs = 23.

Sterling > FGs = 7/26; FTs = 16/26; 3-PTs = 5/19; ASTs = 6; REBs = 32 (11/21); STLs = 5; BLKs = 3; TOs = 13; FLs = 27.

WILDCATS INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS >

Scoring (56) > Kreighton Kanitz – 13; Barrett Moddelmog – 10; Kaizer Kanitz – 10; Henry Hecox – 7; Zach Dixon – 7; Layton Schmidt – 5; Heath Churchill – 2; Kepple Adolf – 2. 3-Pointers Made (3) > Schmidt/Moddelmog/Hecox – 1.

Assist (11) > Kre. Kanitz – 4; Ka. Kanitz/Hecox – 2; Schmidt/Churchill/Adolf – 1.

Rebounds (36) > Dixon – 9; Ka. Kanitz – 6; Hecox/Schmidt – 5; Moddelmog – 4; Kre. Kanitz/Churchill/Adolf – 1.

Steals (9) > Kre. Kanitz – 4; Ka. Kanitz – 2; Hecox/Churchill/Adolf – 1.

Blocked Shots (5) > Kre. Kanitz – 2; Dixon/Schmidt/Adolf – 1.