LAUREL – The busy month of January continued for a pair of northeast Nebraska high school basketball teams Tuesday evening with an area showdown between two schools who are separated by 15 miles.
From LCC Public Schools, Wayne High began their first of three straight road games in mid-January.
The Blue Devil girls snapped a five-game losing streak thanks to a 30-25 victory at Laurel-Concord-Coleridge while the Wayne boys held off the Bears, 52-42 to win their fourth straight.
During the girls game, Wayne held the early advantage with a 9-5 first quarter while LCC remained close thanks to a 5-3 second quarter. WHS led 12-10 at the break. The Blue Devils then outscored the Bears 7-6 in the third and 11-9 in the fourth to win 30-25. Wayne improves to 5-10 while Laurel-Concord-Coleridge fell to 4-9.
Junior Rubie Klausen knocked down the go-ahead three-point basket late in the game to finish with a team-high nine points. Junior Mikaela McManigal added seven points, senior Emily Longe scored six points, sophomore Brooklyn Kruse was held to five points, freshman Faith Powicki scored two points and freshman Kierah Haase tallied a point.
WHS shot 11-17 from the foul line.
Junior Kinsey Hall recorded 11 points to lead LCC while sophomore Haley Christensen added seven points. Freshman Mallory Eriksen finished with four points and junior Jordynn Urwiler scored three points.
LCC finished 2-8 from the charity stripe.
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final:
9 3 12 7 11 30 – WHS
5 5 10 6 9 25 – LCC
From the boys game, WHS doubled up LCC 12-6 in the opening quarter and began to separate with a 16-7 second quarter. Wayne led 28-13 at the break. Laurel-Concord-Coleridge came out of the locker room strong with a 16-6 third but WHS outscored the Bears 18-13 in the fourth to win 52-42. Wayne High improves to 12-2 while LCC fell to 9-4.
A trio of double figure scorers paced Wayne High being junior Tanner Walling with 15 points as junior Brandon Bartos and sophomore Alex Phelps both finished with 10 points. Sophomore Daniel Judd fouled out with six points, senior Colton Vovos added five points, sophomore Sedjro Agoumba tallied four points as senior Nolan Hunke scored two points.
WHS shot 12-17 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, 20-29 in the game.
Senior Cael Hartung took the lead role for LCC with 18 points while junior Evan Schmitt and sophomore Jake Rath both added six points. Juniors Wilton Roberts, Evan Haisch, Lucas Rasmussen and Deagan Puppe all scored three points each.
LCC finished 7-12 from the charity stripe.
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final:
12 16 18 6 18 52 – WHS
6 7 13 16 13 42 – LCC
The Wayne High girls and boys will next visit North Bend Central on Thursday, January 14 while the LCC teams will visit Creighton on Friday, January 15.
Area Tuesday games:
Girls:
Winside 51, Omaha Nation 35
Randolph 33, Hartington-Newcastle 31
Hartington Cedar Catholic 45, Boone Central 30
Pender 65, Homer 20
Pierce 39, Columbus Lakeview 21
Winnebago 69, Tri County Northeast 44
Ponca 70, Wakefield 62
Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 60, Wisner-Pilger 46
Boys:
Hartington Cedar Catholic 65, Boone Central 56
Homer 49, Pender 46
Pierce 46, Columbus Lakeview 33
Winnebago 63, Tri County Northeast 40
Wakefield 58, Ponca 48
Humphrey/Lindsay Holy Family 71, Wisner-Pilger 65