HOISINGTON — The girls’ basketball team’s season came to a close when they faced a crushing loss to the Haven Wildcats 48-39 March 2 in the sub-state championship at Hoisington.

This was the first substate championship appearance for the girls’ basketball program since 2013.

After the Wildcats claimed the ball on the tip-off, they dropped the first 2 points of the game. While looking for and taking open shots, Ellsworth had a difficult time putting anything through the hoop.

Facing a significant size deficit compared to Haven, the Bearcats were forced to play both defensively and offensively in a much different, more aggressive manner.

After a 2-minute drought, sophomore Elyse Haxton put the Bearcats on the scoreboard by knocking down a 3-pointer from the corner.

Both teams played a tight first quarter, going back and forth between scores and stops.

Ultimately, the first quarter ended with a Wildcat lead of 11-10.

Ellsworth was just as much in the game as Haven, however, the Bearcats had several players in foul trouble throughout the entire game. Still, they worked to overcome this struggle and stay in the game.

Senior Paityn Tenbrink put up the first 2 points of the second quarter by going up strong on a contested floater down low.

The Wildcats found success by working the ball into their post players inside. By working the ball around quickly, Ellsworth had a hard time getting to their help positions.

The Bearcats trailed at the end of the first half with a score of 23-17.

Coming out in the third quarter, Ellsworth had the first possession.

After rebounding and being fouled on a secondchance bucket, senior Peyton Coonrod scored the first 2 points of the quarter with two free throws.

After Haven dropped in a layup, Tenbrink dropped in a 3-pointer on the next possession.

Shortly after, with a perfectly- executed inbounds play, Haxton sank another 3 to tie up the game, 27-27.

However, the Wildcats were able to pull away at the end of the quarter to lead 36-31.

Senior Alyssa Rodriguez scored the first 2 points of the fourth quarter with a deep jumper, but the team struggled to get anything going offensively afterward.

As Haven began to pull away, the Bearcats began to foul in an attempt to regain the ball. This sent the Wildcats to the free throw line, where they made 14 of 23 shots. The Bearcats only made it to the line 12 times, where they made seven free throws.

Ellsworth was unable to fight their way back, and the final score ended with a Wildcat victory, 48-39.

Tenbrink and sophomore Alexis Moore led the Bearcats in scoring with 8 points each.

Although it did not end the way they had hoped, the team ended their season with success. As a senior, Tenbrink noted that her favorite parts of the season were her teammates and the community support.

“This team will always have a special place in my heart for how many memories they brought me and all their dedication,” Tenbrink said. “I also loved our fan base — from the student body to the parents and fans — we couldn’t thank them enough for all the support they gave us this year.”

The season’s success encourages the underclassmen to continue to improve and work for the future of their basketball careers.

“When I look back at this year, the one word that comes to mind is family,” Haxton said.

“These girls, coaches and support were here for me through the whole season and continued to help me look forward to coming to practice and want to make myself better for the team. The memories made this year will truly be in my heart forever, and going into next year, I am so excited to try to continue to better the Bearcat program.”

The team ended the season with an overall record of 11-12 and a sub-state runner-up plaque.

Nickerson Feb. 27

HOISINGTON — The Ellsworth girls won their Feb. 27 sub-state playoff game against the Nickerson Panthers 58-37.

In the first quarter, both teams held close in scoring. Sophomore Elyse Haxton was the high scorer, making a 3-pointer. The quarter ended 10-7, Bearcats.

In the second quarter, both the Bearcats and the Panthers had their best quarter of the game, ending the period 30-24, with the Bearcats still on top.

In the third period, the Panthers earned substantially fewer points than they did the period before. The Bearcats pulled down 15 points, ending the period 45-31, with the Cats’ lead only expanding.

The Panthers were unable to make a comeback, and had their worst period of the game. The Bearcats were able to maintain their momentum, and nabbed the 58-37 win, advancing them to the sub-state finals.

Senior Peyton Coonrod was the high scorer, earning 18 points.