MAKE SUB-STATE FINALS

By Staff

            STERLING – In the third game of the season between county rivals Inman and Moundridge on Thursday at their Class 2A Sub-State Semifinals, the Wildcats managed to hold off a late Teuton rally and earn a final four-point, 40-36 win.

            With their third win of the season over rival Inman, Moundridge is now sitting at 18-4 for the season, ranked number three in Class 2A and just one win away from a trip to the state tournament.

            The Wildcats will play sub-state host Sterling (17-5) on Saturday after the Black Bears upset top seed and fifth ranked Ellinwood (20-2),54-45. Moundridge defeated Sterling 51=45 in their final game of the regular season.

(Wildcat Head Coach Vance Unrau)

            “We survived a slow start to build up a double-digit lead only to allow Inman back into the game late as we had too many turnovers,” noted Wildcat head coach Vance Unrau.

            By the end of the first quarter, Inman held a five-point, 14-9 lead before Moundridge’s defense held them to just three second quarter points while scoring 15 to give the Wildcats a seven-point advantage heading to the halftime break. After extending their lead out to 11 at 36-25 at the end of the third quarter, the Wildcats only scored four points in the fourth quarter as the Teutons put 11 on the board to fall short to the Wildcats by the final four-point victory.

            Shooting 55% from the field helped Moundridge counteract committing 12 turnovers.

Individually, Landon Kaufman led the Wildcats in scoring with 12 and assists with five, while Logan Churchill just missed double digits in scoring with nine but did record four blocked shots on defense. Barrett Moddelmog topped the team in rebounds with six.

(Logan Churchill)

Inman was led by Tanner Heckel with the game high 17 points.

             Coach Unrau finished off his post-game reflections by saying, “We will need to shut down the two big men for Sterling as they are so physical. This is what you prepare and live for though, we got to take advantage of the opportunity.”

MOUNDRIDGE WILDCATS vs. Inman Teutons in Class 2A Sub-State Semifinals

SCORING: WILDCATS > 9-15-12-4 = 40;  Inman > 14-3-8-11 = 36.

TEAM STATS: WILDCATS > FGs – 16/29; 3-PTs – 3/11; FTs – 5/6; AST – 10; REBs – 20; TO – 12; STLs – 5; BLKs – 4; FLs – 11.  Inman > FGs – 14/38; 3-PTs – 3/14; FTs – 5/6; AST – 4; REBs – 13; TO – 8; STLs – 6; BLKs – 1; FLs – 9.

MOUNDRIDGE WILDCAT INDIVIDUAL STATS: Scoring > Landon Kaufman – 12; Logan Churchill – 9; Henry Hecox – 7; Barrett Moddelmog – 4; Alec Huddle – 4; Layton Schmidt – 4.  3-Pointers Made > Kaufman – 2; Churchill – 1.  Assists > Kaufman – 5; Moddelmog – 2; Huddle, Churchill, Hecox – 1.  Rebounds > Moddelmog – 6; Hecox – 4; Kaufman, Churchill, Schmidt – 3; Huddle – 1.  Steals > Kaufman, Hecox – 2; Schmidt – 1.  Blocked Shots > Churchill – 4.

Inman Teutons Individual Stats: Scoring > Tanner Heckel – 17; Josiah Buller – 8; Harrison Brunk – 5; Eli Brunk – 3; TJ Froese – 3.  3-Pointers Made > Buller, H. Brunk, TJ Froese – 1.  Assists > Heckel – 3; Zach Martisko – 1.  Rebounds > Heckel, H. Brunk – 4; E. Brunk – 3; Martisko – 2.  Steals > Heckel – 3; H. Brunk – 2; Martisko – 1.  Blocked Shots > E. Brunk – 1.

(The Staff covering events for the MAC AREA SPORTS NEW can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)