Coyotes No Match For Indians
St. Francis defeated the Weskan Coyotes in both games played on Tuesday, January 10, in St. Francis. The junior varsity Indians opened the evening with a 37-28 win over the Coyotes. The varsity game was a lop-sided affair with the Indians earning a 56-23 win.
In the varsity contest, the (1-6) Coyotes were out-matched by the #1 state-ranked (Salina Journal) Indians. St. Francis jumped out to a large early lead and cruised to a wide-margin victory. The Indians smothering defensive play and fast-breaking offense made it very difficult for the Coyotes to even get a good look at the basket. Jeremiah Neitzel opened the contest with a strong post move basket. On the next Indian possession, Tate Busse connected from the top-of-the-key. A steal-two by Brock Waters was followed by an assist by Busse on a Waters left-wing trey. The Indians were up 10-0 with 5:25 still remaining in the first quarter. The Indian run continued with another Neitzel post score (assist Quinton Cravens) and a Cravens drive. A steal-two by Busse was followed by free-throws by Waters, and Cravens. With 1:51 remaining in the first period, Weskan scored on a baseline jumper by junior Bailey McQuillan to make the score 18-2. Dalton Straub scored the next basket for the Indians on a nice post move. Straub's assist then set up a Cravens basket. In the closing moments of the period, Weskan swished consecutive free-throws to make the first quarter score 22-4.
With the outcome of the game decided, it was a matter of the Indians remaining focused and executing for the remainder of the contest. After a stick-back score by Dalton Straub and two free-throws by Waters, Weskan's Greg Kuykendall (senior) scored on a nice drive through the Indian defense. Waters followed with a left-wing trey. Neitzel then scored on a fast break after an assist by Tate Busse. After a SF free-throw, Busse's driving basket moved the scoreboard to 34-6. The first half ended after two additional baskets by Waters and Quinton Cravens and two by McQuillan for the Coyotes. St. Francis led at halftime, 38-10.
The margin increased past thirty points in the opening moments of the second half. A Waters free-throw and basket after a steal and assist by Jerremiah Neitzel increased the margin to 41-10. McQuillan then scored back-to-back baskets in the lane. Neitzel answered with an score on an out-of-bounds play lob from Tate Busse. Dallas Seader (junior) swished a trey from the top-of-the key trimming the deficit to 43-17. The Coyotes would not score again in the period. Meanwhile, the Indians added 8 more to their side of the scoreboard getting free-throws from Neitzel, Dalton Straub (2), and Busse and well as two fast-break baskets from Busse; the second of the two being a two-hand dunk. The Indians led 51-17 at the third quarter break.
The St. Francis substitute players played the entire fourth quarter. With the 30-point rule, the clock was allowed to run. Weskan earned the first two buckets of the period before K.C. Krien added a free-throw. Connor Keller made a sweet assist to Jordan Raby on a cut through the lane and Jake Faulkender set up a Krien score from the post with a nice assist. St. Francis defeated the Weskan Coyotes 56-23 in varsity action.
Junior Bailey McQuillan led the Coytoes in scoring with 10 points. The Coytoes made 4 of 9 from the line and committed 18 fouls.
St. Francis received 12 points each from Tate Busse and Brock Waters. Jeremiah Neitzel added 9, Quinton Cravens 7, Dalton Straub 6, Brady Dinkel 5, K.C. Krien 3, and Jordan Raby 2. The Indians made 11 of 23 from the line and committed 11 fouls.
In junior varsity action, the Indians also jumped out to a good-sized lead in the opening moments. Tayton Weeter's trey was followed by a left baseline basket by Jordan Raby. After a steal-two by Weeter and an offensive rebound basket by Dalton Straub, the Indians were up 9-0. At 3:31, the Coyotes called time-out to re-group. The time-out proved beneficial, as the Coyotes scored the next seven points to close within two points before another steal by Weeter led to lay-up by Bryce Raby. Weeter's baseline drive closed the first period with the Indians leading 13-7.
Bryce Raby's stick-back basket was followed by post score by Dalton Straub (assist K.C. Krien) giving the Indians a 10-point lead (17-7). After a score in the lane by Weskan sophomore Zach Box, Krien scored for the Indians. The Coyotes then reeled off six unanswered points to close the deficit to 19-16. In the final two minutes of the half, the Indians earned a steal-two by Krien and a driving score by Conner Keller to take a 23-16 lead into the locker room.
Neither team scored much in the third period. The Indians received baskets by Jake Faulkender, Draven Houtman (post; assist Jordan Raby), and K.C.Krien to lead 29-20 at the third quarter break.
The Indians earned their largest lead of the game, 13 points (33-20), early in the final period after a free-throw and left-wing trey by Tayton Weeter. Weeter's assist later set up a score by Conner Keller on a cut through the lane. St. Francis defeated Weskan 35-26 in the junior varsity game.
The Indians will play a good Dighton Hornets team on Friday, January 13, in Dighton. The Hornets enter the contest with a record of 3-3 having defeated Quinter (twice) and Wheatland-Grinnell. The Hornets have three close losses to Trego Community (5 pts.), Hoxie (2 pts.), and LaCrosse (4 pts.). The Hornets are paced by 6' 5" senior Tyler Lingg and a host of talented complementary players.
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