Back-to-back perfect seasons means a lot of success against league opponents. Ellinwood has not been exempt from that success with a 0-3 showing against Central Plains over the past two seasons. The average margin in those losses: 33 points.

But high school sports are cyclical and this year’s Ellinwood team entered the Jan. 7 game in Claflin riding a six-game winning streak. After a hard-fought first quarter, the Oilers were outscored 28-8 in the middle quarters of a 47-31 loss.

“That was by far the most physical game we’ve played,” said Ellinwood coach Derek Joiner said. “You have to give a lot of credit to those guys from Central Plains. They played hard and physical. In the first quarter that set our guys back. In the second and third quarters, our guys elevated and played with that toughness, energy, and intensity. I think we have better basketball players, and once we matched their energy and physicality, we stretched it out.”

Oiler junior Tyler Holmes opened scoring nearly four minutes in, and Central Plains maintained a tight 8-7 lead after one quarter. The offensive gears came to a halt over the next eight minutes with just one field goal from senior Jerred Bieberle. Ellinwood freshman Tyler Stuhlsatz knocked down a three at the half court buzzer to send the Eagles into the break with a growing 18-10 advantage.

Stuhlsatz torched the nets in the third with three more triples. He finished 5 for 8 from behind the arc with a game-high 21 points. Eagle senior Luke Wondra, playing in his first game of the season, added a putback at the buzzer to keep Ellinwood’s lead at 35-16 with a quarter to play.

The Oiler offense did warm a little in the final frame. Senior Lawson Oeser hit a three and scored all five of his points in the quarter. Bieberle scored four of his 10 points in the quarter, and senior JJ Heredia swished a trey to end his night with 10 points. Holmes scored six points in the loss.

Ellinwood’s trio of Stuhlsatz, fellow freshman Brit Dutton, and senior David Hammeke entered the night combining for 49 points a game. Hammeke finished with 15 points and Dutton was held in check with seven points.