Monday night was a good time to be a Bearcat.

The Ellsworth boys and girls played Plainville at home, and for the second time this season, both teams walked away with a regular season win the same night.

The girls won 45-36; the boys posted a 58-37 win over the Cardinals.

The girls jumped out to a 14-5 lead in the first quarter, led by 6 points from Natalie Rolfs, and never looked back.

By half time the Lady ‘Cats were ahead 24-13 on their way to the 45-36 win.

Greta Klein led Ellsworth with 12 points, all from inside the arch. Natalie Rolfs and Ryan Tenbrink led the team in 3-point field goals with two apiece.

Plainville and Ellsworth met up the first game of the season, with Plainville edging the Bearcats out 39-33.

Coach Ken Cravens was pleased with his team’s progress since their first matchup with the Cardinals.

“Our girls did a great job playing hard, and working to execute our game plan: he said. “It was great to play at home, and super that we were able to get better and secure a win for the team:’

next game a Beloit squad on Friday, Feb. 5 at home, with a chance to put back-to-back wins together for the first time this season.

Statistics from the boys’ game were not available at press time.

Ellsworth vs. Southeast of Saline

The Ellsworth boys fell to 6-3 overall and 1-2 in the league after Friday’s loss to Southeast of Saline at Gypsum.

It was Southeast’s pressure defense that set the tone, creating numerous runouts and transition baskets. But the Trojans also knocked down nine 3-pointers as they scored 78 points in the last three quarters.

12-8 one quarter, and two free throws by Ellsworth’s Braden Schulte stretched the Bearcat lead to 16-10. But Eli Harris’ basket, followed by a Nakari Morrical-Palmer free throw and 3-pointer evened it for the Trojans.

Ellsworth took one last lead, 20-18, on an Avery Haxton basket before Southeast sprinted ahead.

Schulte led the way for Ellsworth with 17 points, followed by Trey Anderson and Haxton, both with 15.

The girls struggled as they dropped their game to Southeast, 54-19. It was Southeast’s fifth victory in five games.

After Greta Klein opened the game with a basket for Ellsworth, it was all Southeast. The Trojans scored the next nine points and led 13-5 after one quarter, then shut out the Bearcats, 21-0, in the second for a 34-5 halftime cushion. The entire fourth quarter was played with a continuous running clock.

Peyton Tenbrink had 10 points off the bench to lead Ellsworth, which fell to 2-10 with a 1-4 NCAA record.