By Staff
MOUNDRIDGE – On Thursday at the Moundridge Preseason Tournament, the top-ranked team in Class 2A and tournament host, Moundridge suffered their first loss of the young season as defending Class 2A state champion Hillsboro scored a buzzer beating three-point 52-49 win.
After Hillsboro held a six-point, 16-10 lead at the end of the first quarter, the Wildcats roared back by doubling up the Trojans 16-8 in the second quarter to take a slim, two-point lead at 26-24 heading into the halftime break.
The Trojans retook the lead by two at 40-38 heading into the final quarter of play and while Moundridge pulled even and tied the game at 49-49 with just seconds to go, Hillsboro’s Brekyn Ratzlaff dropped a lengthy three-pointer as time ran out to give the Trojans the final three-point victory.
“This is a disappointing loss,” said Wildcat coach Vance Unrau in a subdued post-game reflection. “Hillsboro came out hot and we had to battle back with a couple of kids in foul trouble. Everyone in the gym knew who was going to take the last shot and (Brekyn) Ratzlaff hit a three-pointer at the buzzer. I thought we played hard, now we just got to learn from it and move on.”
For the game Hillsboro hit a blistering 61% of their shots from the field with Moundridge hitting on 38%.
Logan Churchill led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points while Henry Hecox hit for 14 and Barrett Moddelmog chipped in with 11. Landon Kaufman was the fourth and only other Moundridge player to put points on the board in the game as he had eight points.
Churchill recorded the only two blocked shots for Inman while leading the team in rebounds with six and steals with three. Alex Huddle did not score but did pull down four rebounds while Henry Hecox took in three rebounds while leading the offense with four assists.
MOUNDRIDGE WILDCATS vs. Hillsboro Trojans at Moundridge Preseason Tournament
SCORING: Hillsboro 16-8-16-12=52; WILDCATS 10-16-12-11=49.
TEAM STATS: Hillsboro: FGs – 22/36; 3-PTs – 7/16; FTs – 1/4; ASTs – 21; REBs – 16; TO – 5; STLs – 0; BLKs – 0; FLs – 14. WILDCATS: FGs – 17/44; 3-PTs – 4/15; FTs – 11/14; ASTs – 14; REBs – 18; TO – 2’ STLs – 5; BLKs – 2; FLs – 11.
WILDCAT INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS:
Scoring: Logan Churchill – 16; Henry Hecox – 14; Barrett Moddelmog – 11; Landon Kaufman – 8.
3-Pointers Made: Moddelmog – 2; Churchill, Kaufman – 1.
Assists: Hecox – 4; Churchill, Moddelmog, Kaufman – 3.
Rebounds: Churchill – 6; Alec Huddle – 4; Henry Hecox – 3.
Steals: Churchill – 3.
Blocked Shots: Churchill 2.
(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)