Diane Stamm | Johnson Publications
Austen Rozelle finds a seam in the Medicine Valley defense and flies towards the basket in Wauneta-Palisade’s Friday home win.
WP boys’ team avenges loss to Raiders, beats Sailors
Eight weeks after a 15-point loss to Medicine Valley, the Wauneta-Palisade boys’ basketball team got its revenge with a 25-point win against the Raiders at home Thursday.
The Broncos also picked up a win over Sutherland Friday.
Revenge against Raiders
As the teams battled back and forth early in the contest, back-to-back baskets by Joel Maris gave WP its first lead of the game. Austen Rozelle added WP’s final two baskets of the quarter to help the Broncos to a 12-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Neither team found good offensive rhythm during the second quarter. Back-to-back baskets by Ty Duvel and Ben Anderjaska helped solidify WP’s lead. Two more baskets, by Cash Yearous and Rozelle, pushed WP to a 21-15 halftime lead.
Despite scoring 24 points in the third quarter, it took the Broncos over two minutes to make its first basket.
Seven different Broncos made field goals in the quarter and both teams spent plenty of time at the charity stripe. WP made 8-12 free throws, while MV made 4-14.
Holding a 45-21 lead, WP continued to find its way for the free throw line. The Broncs made 5-12 in the fourth quarter. Paired with baskets by Rozelle, Dennis Cavanaugh, Cord Lee and Braxton McKinney, WP got the 60-35 win.
Rozelle was the lone Bronco in double figures, scoring 10 points. Eleven Broncos scored in the game.
Dalton Harchelroad led WP with seven rebounds, Caid Doetker grabbed six rebounds.
Anderjaska had four assists; Yearous had four steals.
While happy with the win, WP Head Coach Dave Kuhlen said the difference between the December and February game wasn’t on the part of one team.
“Part of it was our level of play improved from our first meeting, but they also probably played one of their worst games,” Kuhlen said. “A 40-point swing doesn’t happen without one team playing better and the other team being off.”
Stymies Sailors
WP got off to a good start against Sutherland, scoring on five of its first seven possessions. The Broncos maintained a five-point lead through much of the quarter, including 15-10 at the end of the first eight minutes.
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