Basketball Season Opens vs Dundy County
The high school basketball season opened Thursday night, December 3, when the St. Francis teams hosted the Dundy County Tigers. The Indian teams won both junior varsity games; the Tigers won both varsity games.
In varsity girls action, the Lady Indians played with great effort throughout the game, but had difficulty scoring and lost to the Lady Tigers by a score of 28-55. The Lady Indians trailed by three (10-13) after one quarter of play, but fell behind by ten points (18-28) by halftime. In the second half, the Lady Indians had a difficult time scoring. The team could only muster one point in the third quarter and trailed 19-42 at the quarter break. The Lady Indians scored more efficiently in the fourth quarter, but lost the game 28-55.
The Lady Indians junior varsity team only played two quarters due to the number of available players. The Lady Indians won the shortened game by a score of 12-11.
The varsity boys game was close throughout. St. Francis jumped out to an early 9-6 lead, but trailed by two points (15-13) at the end of the first quarter. The teams battled hard in the second quarter and the Tigers held a narrow 29-30 lead at the halftime break.
The Indians opened the second half with with a couple of quick scores to take a 36-33 lead. Dundy County came back to take a 36-38 lead with 2:26 left in the third. The Tigers continued on an 11 point run to stretch the lead to 36-44 before the Indians scored again. The third period ended with the Indians trailing 41-47.
In the fourth quarter, the Indians scored a few quick points and a rebound basket by Garrett Figgins cut the lead to 46-47 with about four minutes left. The Tigers soon responded by scoring a few baskets of their own to stretch the lead to 46-53 with 3:09 remaining. A Trent Raile trey at 2:40 and a basket by Matt Raile cut the Tiger lead to one possession (51-53) with just under two minutes remaining. The Indians would only score one more point while the Tiger's 6'7" wingman, Kendal Glidden, scored a few game-clenching baskets to give the Tigers a 52-61 win.
Trent Raile scored 19 points to lead the Indians; Matt Raile added 18. Glidden lead all scorers with 33 points.
St. Francis won the junior varsity boys game in a contest with two very differing halves. Dundy County controlled the first half leading 10-20 after one quarter and by sixteen (22-38) a halftime. In the second half the Indians came on strong outscoring the Tigers 24-7 in the third quarter to take the lead at the end of three, 46-45. St. Francis went on to win the game in exciting fashion 67-62.
Tyler Lauer led the Indian scoring with 21 points. Zach Zweygardt scored 12; Dylan Peter added 11.
