Picture courtesy of Jenna Hull

GIRLS: CENTRAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 49, ELL-SALINE 40

The Ell-Saline lady Cardinals would play one of their best games of the season Friday night as they would travel to Wichita to take on the Central Christian Academy Lions (CCA) in a Heart of America league matchup. Unfortunately for the lady Cards a couple of late 3-point baskets and timely free throws and the lady Lions pulled away with a 9-point win 49-40.

Both teams would trade buckets in the 1st quarter as things were all knotted up at 10 a piece after the 1st quarter.

Ell-Saline would clamp down on defense in the 2nd quarter by just allowing the lady Lions to score 5 points in the quarter. The lady Cardinals would take a 18-15 lead into the locker room.

CCA would get things going in the 3rd quarter as they were able to knock down a couple 3 pointers and would outscore Ell-Saline 15-10 in the quarter and led 30-28 going into the final stanza.

CCA junior Laila Hernandez would knock down 2-3 point baskets to start the 4th quarter and the lady Lions would start to pull away. Lady Lions sophomore Elaina Magana would put the game on ice as she would go 6 for 6 from the charity stripe to close out the game for CCA as they would go onto win 49-40.

Ell-Saline was led in scoring by senior Taelor Hardesty as she would finish the night with a game high 18 and the only lady Card in double figures.

Elaina Magana would lead the Central Christian attack as she would knock down 16 points in the win. Senior Corinne Rauch and Laila Hernandez would both chip in 13 of their own as the the other lady Lions to reach double digits.

Ell-Saline drops to 1-17 on the season and 0-9 in HOA league play and will return home to play Inman next Thursday night in a make up game in Brookville. Central Christian moves to 7-10 on the season and 8-0 in HOA league play and will be back at home next Tuesday night to take on Sterling.

CITY PLUMBING HEATING AND COOLING PLAYER OF THE GAME: Taelor Hardesty (18 Points)

H & R BLOCK OF THE GAME: Aubrey Smith

BOX SCORE

ELL-SALINE (1-17)(0-9) – 10 – 8 – 10 – 12 / 40

CENTRAL CHIRSTIAN (7-10)(2-6) –10 – 5 – 15 – 19 / 49

Individual Scoring

Ell-Saline – Taelor Hardesty 18, Paisley Jensen/Jocelyn Taylor 8, Isabelle Porter 6.

Central Christian – Elaina Magana 16, Laila Hernandez/Corinne Rauch 13, Ashlynn Johns 5, Avery Luckner 2.

Kaitlyn Betzner Senior Spotlight

BOYS: #4-2A ELL-SALINE 67, CENTRAL CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 35

In the night cap the Ell-Saline Cardinals would used a balanced scoring attack and some high flying dunks to coast to a 67-35 win. Senior Brogan Rowley and Junior Trey Williams would show off their high flying abilities that would get the crowd cheering.

Ell-Saline would come out quick and on fire as they would jump out to a 22-6 lead after the 1st quarter and never look back.

The Cardinals would continue to push the tempo in the 2nd quarter as they would outscore the Lions 21-6 in the quarter and Ell-Saline led 43-12 heading into the break.

CCA would try and chip away at the lead coming out of the locker room but Ell-Saline would still outscore the Lions 19-13 and the Cardinals led 62-25 heading into the final stanza.

The Lions would win the last eight minutes 10-5 but the damage had already been done as Ell-Saline would get its 16th win of the season by a score of 67-35.

Four of the five starters for Ell-Saline would finish in double figures on the night. Trey Williams would lead the Cardinals with a game high 18 points. Reese Krone (15), Brogan Rowley (14) and Kas Kramer (10) would all get to double figures for the Cards.

Senior Cody Bixenman would lead the Central Christian attack as he would knock down 14 points in the loss and the only Lions player to reach double digits,

Ell-Saline moves to 16-2 on the season and 7-2 in HOA league play and will return home to play Inman next Thursday night in a make up game in Brookville. Central Christian drops to 4-13 on the season and 0-8 in HOA league play and will be back at home next Tuesday night to take on Sterling.

CITY PLUMBING HEATING AND COOLING PLAYER OF THE GAME: Trey Williams (18 Points)

H & R BLOCK OF THE GAME: Brogan Rowley

BOX SCORE

ELL-SALINE (16-2)(7-2) – 22 – 21 – 19 – 5 / 67

CENTRAL CHRISTIAN (4-13)(0-8) –6 – 6 – 13 – 10 / 35

Individual Scoring

Ell-Saline – Trey Williams 18, Reese Krone 15, Brogan Rowley 14, Kas Kramer 10, Collin Dent 4, Garrison Zerger/Melvin Lutes/Jake Tillberg 2.

Central Christian – Cody Bixenman 14, Ben Patrick 8, Lane Morton 4, Jace Luckner/Hudson Clark/Levi Storm 3.