Ellsworth boys double up La Crosse

HOISINGTON — The Ellsworth boys’ basketball team traveled to Hoisington Jan. 20 to compete in the Cardinal Boys’ Winter Jam. The Bearcats, coming in with a 2-7 record, took on the 6-1 La Crosse Leopards.

The Bearcats started things off with a bang as senior Cooper McGowan scored 4 quick points, including an explosive dunk. Ellsworth then followed it with a 5-0 run, as the defense held La Crosse scoreless until there was 3:26 left in the opening period.

Ellsworth also scored the final 3 points of the frame, as the first quarter ended with a 14-3 Bearcat lead.

In the second quarter, La Crosse scored early in the period on a steal, but then it became the Tucker Goss Show, as the senior rattled off the next 7 points for the Bearcats. The red and black defense continued to do their job, only allowing 6 Leopard points in the quarter, with the first half ending with a 25-9 Ellsworth advantage.

Ellsworth extended their lead to as many as 23 points during the third frame as the Bearcats outscored La Crosse 10-4 in the period to give themselves a 35-13 lead heading into the final frame, then maintaining their lead in the fourth quarter, as the game ended with a 42-21 Ellsworth victory.

Goss led the Bearcats in scoring, as he and McGowan scored in double digits, with Goss scoring 15 points while McGowan scored 10.

Freshman Coulson Barta also added 7 points.

The Bearcats host Southeast of Saline Jan.

31 for Winter Homecoming.

Ellsworth girls top La Crosse

HOISINGTON — The Ellsworth girls’ basketball team competed in the opening round of the Cardinal Girls’ Winter Jam Jan. 20. The Bearcats, coming into the tournament with a 6-3 record, clashed with the 6-4 La Crosse Leopards for their first-round game.

Missed shots and the turnover bug plagued both teams at the beginning of the game as the two teams went nearly three minutes into the game without scoring until senior Jo Lindsley finally broke the scoring drought with a single free throw. Ellsworth then reeled off 4 more points before La Crosse finally got its first score of the game to give the Bearcats the early 5-2 lead.

Ellsworth, using six different players to score in the first quarter, then went on a 6-0 run before La Crosse scored, as the opening frame closed with an 11-4 Bearcat lead.

La Crosse came to life in the second quarter as they outscored Ellsworth in the frame, pulling to within 3 points of the Bearcats twice before eventually tying the game at 15-15 with 1:10 left in the first half, as the half closed out with that same score.

Senior Lainey Peschka scored the first 4 points of the second half, getting Ellsworth back on track, followed by a bucket from senior Lexi Moore, for a 6-0 Bearcat run, prompting a Leopard timeout.

Following the timeout, La Crosse scored their first basket of the second half, but Ellsworth had the final say in the frame as Peschka connected from 3-point land to end the quarter with a 31-24 Bearcat advantage going into the final frame.

After building a 16-point Ellsworth lead in the fourth quarter, La Crosse dwindled it down to 10, but it wasn’t enough as the Bearcats outscored the Leopards 18-8 to win the game 49-32.

Peschka and Moore led a total of eight Bearcat scorers with 13 points apiece, while sophomore Kinly Place and freshman Kari Place each added 6 points.

The Bearcats host Southeast Jan. 31 for Winter Homecoming.

Wrestlers post 5 wins at home

The Ellsworth girls’ wrestling team welcomed the Southeast of Saline Trojan wrestlers to the Ellsworth gym Jan. 22 in an NCAA league dual. Five wrestlers posted wins for the Bearcats.

Winning their matches for the girls were freshman Kit Donley at 120 lbs., sophomore Kiya Schultz at 115 lbs. and juniors Khloey Kinsley at 105 lbs., Brooklyn Webb at 130 lbs. and Sophie Homolka at 145 lbs.

Posting losses were freshman Adrianna Neuman at 125 lbs. and sophomores Hadleigh Hicks at 135 lbs. and Dannie Miley at 140 lbs. The girls travel to Hoisington Jan. 30, then to Larned Jan. 31.

Wrestlers host Southeast of Saline in dual

The Ellsworth boys’ wrestling team hosted the Southeast of Saline Trojans Jan. 23 in a wrestling dual. Eight wrestlers posted wins for the Bearcats on Senior Night.

Those posting wins were freshman Carson Tyrell at 106 lbs., sophomores Rhett Bohl at 132 lbs. and Bo Kyler at 175 lbs., junior Ismael De La Cruz at 113 lbs. and seniors Hunter Kinsley at 120 lbs., Jackson Minear 144 lbs., Keegan Urbanek 190 lbs. and Micah Galvan at 215 lbs.

Wrestlers who lost their matches were freshmen Octavio Rodriguez at 120 lbs. and Jayden Nagel at 165 lbs., sophomores Kaine Rush at 138 lbs. and Lane Howard at 150 lbs. and senior Hadley West at 157 lbs.

The team will travel to Hoisington on Jan. 30, then to Republic County Feb. 5.