BASKETBALL – Tuesday, February 21 at Sterling –
PLUS Moundridge Youth plays on National Stage
Giving a voice to the smaller area schools of McPherson County and the Athletes they have….Our goal is to give them all some media love!!
The story and stats behind the Moundridge Wildcat boys and Lady Wildcats road games at Sterling.
PLUS a bonus note about a Moundridge fifth-grader with the opportunity to play soccer on a National Stage and Bus Driver Appreciation for USD Drivers.
Next Up – Class 2A Sub-State games at Sterling Sub-State
WILDCAT YOUTH
PLAYING SOCCER
ON NATIONAL SCALE
By Staff
MOUNDRIDGE – Over the recent weekend a Moundridge fifth grader, Vivi Rierson had the opportunity to play youth soccer on a national scale as she played in a tournament in Memphis, Tennessee.
The young Rierson who recently found herself playing at times for both MCFC and for Sporting Wichita, was given the opportunity to play for the Kansas Olympic Development (ODP) 12U team which gave her the chance to play in Memphis.
While in Memphis the team Rierson was representing from Kansas participated in the 2023 ODP Interregional Showcase where they played three games against teams from Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio.
Also at the event was Hannah Wilgers, a 6th-grader from McPherson Middle School who was playing for the Kansas Olympic Development (ODP) 13U team where they played against teams from Iowa, Ohio, and Alabama.
(pictured is Hannah Wilgers (left) and Vivi Rierson (right) at the ODP Interregional Showcase)
(The Staff covering events for the MAC AREA SPORTS NEW can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)
USD 423 HONORS
BUS DRIVERS
By Staff
MOUNDRIDGE – Recently Moundridge USD 423 and Superintendent Cody Rierson had a Bus Driver Appreciation Day in which they praised and honored several long-term bus personnel.
Among those being honored and their time of service were:
Phyllis Stoppel for 52 years of service.
Rick Dages for 5 years of service.
Howard Friesen for 5 years of service.
David Bowen for 3 years of service.
Sherlyn Hill for 1 year of service.
(Picture left to right > Rick Dages, Howard Friesen, David Bowen, Phyllis Stoppel, and Sherlyn Hill)
WILDCATS OUT DUAL
STERLING, WINS BY 6
By Staff
STERLING – In a battle of top ten teams in Class 2A on Tuesday, the third ranked Moundridge boys went on the road and out dueled eighth ranked Sterling by six points, winning 51-45.
With the win the Wildcats are now 17-3 for the season and will be the second seed of the Class 2A Sterling Sub-State where they play at home against seventh-seed Hutchinson Trinity (6-14) on Monday, February 27. If Moundridge wins, they will then play the winner of Inman (third seed, 17-3) and Berean Academy (sixth seed, 7-13). Other teams in the sub-state are top seeded Ellinwood (19-1), fourth seed Sterling (15-5), fifth seed Whitewater/Remington (13-7) and eighth seed Sedgwick (5-15).
“This was a real test on the road against a very good Sterling team,” noted Wildcat head coach Vance Unrau. “They have size, good shooting, and are very physical.”
The Wildcats went up by four, 14-10 by the end of the first quarter only to have Sterling pull back to within one points at 23-22 heading into the halftime break. After Sterling pulled ahead by three, 37-34, at the end of the third quarter, the Moundridge offense took control and put 17 points on the board while holding Sterling to just eight in the final quarter to gain the final six-point victory.
Moundridge struggled with the work in the paint by Sterling as they were outrebounded 29-16 but the Wildcat defense kept Sterling from making any of their 16 three-point attempts.
Coach Unrau added, “We were not as tough at times tonight as we need to be in a game of this kind of physicality. We asked Alec Huddle to play one of their bigs inside and he battled hard all night. I was very proud of his effort. Both Logan (Churchill) and Henry (Hecox) traded off times of hitting some crucial baskets for us in the second half.”
Logan Churchill led the Wildcats in scoring with 18 points, rebounding with seven, steals with two and blocked shots with a pair. Barrett Moddelmog and Henry Hecox each joined Moundridge in double digits with 13 and 10 points, respectively as Moddelmog connected on three of the teams five three-pointers and Hecox led the team in assists with four.
Coach Unrau concluded his post-game and post-regular season reflections by saying, “We will head back to Sterling for Sub-State next week. No easy road to get out and make the state tournament. But I love these guys chances as we will host our first-round game on Monday.”
MOUNDRIDGE WILDCATS at Sterling
SCORING: WILDCATS > 14-9-11-17 = 51; Sterling > 10-12-15-8 = 45.
TEAM STATS: WILDCATS > FGs – 19/37; 3-PTs 5/14; FTs – 8/15; AST – 14; REBs – 16; TO – 6; STLs – 4; BLKs – 3; FLs – 14. Sterling > FGs – 18/43; 3-PTs – 0/16; FTs – 9/13; AST – 6; REBs – 29; TO – 8; STLs – 4; BLKs – 1; FLs – 16.
MOUNDRIDGE WILDCATS INDIVIDUAL STATS: Scoring > Logan Churchill – 18; Barrett Moddelmog – 13; Henry Hecox – 10; Landon Kaufman – 9; Layton Schmidt – 1. 3-Pointers Made > 0. Assists > Hecox – 4; Churchill, Kaufman, Alec Huddle – 3; Moddelmog – 1. Rebounds > Churchill – 7; Moddelmog – 3; Hecox, Huddle – 2; Kaufman, Schmidt – 1. Steals > Churchill – 2; Moddelmog, Kaufman – 1. Blocked Shots > Churchill – 2; Moddelmog – 1.
(The Staff covering events for the MAC AREA SPORTS NEW can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)
LADY WILDCATS
WIN SEASON FINALE
BY 8
By Staff
STERLING – In a season filled with high and low points, the Moundridge girls closed the 2022-23 regular season out on a high note as they went on the road Tuesday and scored an eight-point, 51-43 win over Sterling.
With the win, the Lady Wildcats close out the regular season at 10-10 as they now prep for the Class 2A Sterling Sub-State where they have been seeded fourth and will open with a home court battle against fifth seeded Sedgwick (10-10) next Tuesday, February 28. If they win, they would then play the winner of the top seed Berean Academy (19-1) and eighth seeded Hutchinson Trinity (2-18).
The other four teams in the substate and their first-round matchups are second seeded Whitewater/Remington (15-5) against seventh seed Sterling (4-16) while third seed Ellinwood (11-9) will play sixth seed Inman (9-11).
In Tuesday’s game, the Moundridge girls took a five-point, 14-9, first quarter lead and extended it out to 11 at 32-21 by the halftime break. Sterling managed to knock a few points off their deficit by the end of the third quarter as the Lady Wildcats hung on in the end for the final eight-point victory.
Freshman Addy Patrick led the Lady Wildcats in scoring with 13 while Emily Durst joined her in double digits with 10 and Reese Schmidt chipped in with eight.
MOUNDRIDGE LADY WILDCATS at Sterling
SCORING: LADY WILDCATS > 14-18-8-11 = 51; Sterling > 9-12-11-11 = 43.
MOUNDRIDGE LADY WILDCATS SCORING > Addy Patrick – 13; Emily Durst – 10; Reese Schmidt – 8; Kaelyn Wedel – 7; Cammi Unruh – 5; Macy Kaminkow – 5; Aubree Durst – 3. 3-Pointers Made > E. Durst – 2; Patrick, Wedel, Unruh, A. Durst – 1.
(The Staff covering events for the MAC AREA SPORTS NEW can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)