Boys Split Games With Idalia
On Friday, January 4, the Indians played the Idalia Wolves in St. Francis. St. Francis won the varsity game 61-46. Idalia won the junior varsity boys game 37-60.
The junior varsity game was first on the schedule. The game was competitive until approximately midway through the third period. Then, a scoring drought by the Indians allowed Idalia to put the game away. St. Francis scored only 4 points in the last 12 minutes of the contest.
In the JV game, Idalia jumped out to a 6-0 lead getting two baskets from Christian Reyes (drive and turnover-two) and one from Talon Glanz on an offensive rebound. At the 4:40 mark of the first period, Bryce Raby placed the Indians on the scoreboard with a baseline drive. A left-corner trey by Idalia's Erik Estrada moved the deficit to 2-9. Estrada then sandwiched a steal-two basket between a post basket and free-throw by Raby. Josiah Sims scored on a coast-to-coast drive narrowing the margin to 7-11. It would be as close as the Indians would get. Estrada added a left-wing trey, two charity tosses, and a deuce before the quarter closed. St. Francis trailed 7-18 after one period of play.
Josiah Sims scored the first basket of the second quarter on a driving basket. Erick Estrada followed with a left-wing trey; his first of three in the period. Jorge Olivares added a post basket (assist Sims) and Bryce Raby chipped in a free-throw, but Estrada drained another trey; this one from the right side. Dario Montrone swished two free-throws, and Cutler Mayer added a post basket (assist Sims) trimming the margin to 16-24. Christian Reyes followed with a deuce for the Wolves. Another basket by Mayer triggered an Idalia time-out at 3:13 with the Indians trailing 18-26. Idalia then earned a back-door cut on the left baseline to return the margin to double digits. After two Raby free-throws, Estrada sank a deep trey. After an Indian turnover, Estrada drained another three-ball from the left corner. Moments later, Yahir Enriquez drained a left-wing trey increasing the spread to seventeen (20-37). It was the fifth trey of the period for the Wolves. After a Sims drive, Raby added one-of-two from the line. Brady Schoenrogge scored on a stick-back basket late in the first half. St. Francis trailed 25-37 at halftime. Idalia had 8 turnovers in the first half. St. Francis totaled 20.
St. Francis began the third period aggressively getting a driving score from Josiah Sims to open the second half. Reyes answered with an offensive rebound basket for the Wolves. Wyatt Hilt drained a left-baseline shot (assist Sims) and then Byrce Raby scored from the post (assist Sims). Dario Montrone's left-elbow jumper reduced the deficit to 33-39. Unfortunately, the Indians would only score twice more in the contest. Idalia would score the final 10 points of the third period to lead 33-49 at the third quarter break. Two of the late quarter baskets resulted directly from Indian turnovers.
Wyatt Hilt and Bryce Raby would add baskets to the Indians' cause in the final period. Idalia would score 11 more to win 37-60. Damien Millan scored three baskets in the final period for the Wolves.
St. Francis was led in scoring by Bryce Raby with 13 points. Josiah Sims added 8. Others scoring for St. Francis were Dario Montrone 4, Cutler Mayer 4, Wyatt Hilt 4, Brady Schoenrogge 2, and Jorge Olivares 2. St. Francis made 7 of 15 from the line, committed 8 fouls, and had 32 turnovers.
Idalia was led by Erik Estrada with 23 points. Christian Reyes chipped in 12 and Damien Millan added 8. The Wolves committed 19 fouls, 12 turnovers, and made 3 of 10 from the stripe.
Brady Dinkel opened the varsity game with a quick deuce. It didn't take long for sophomore Bru Carreras to answer. Carreras scored the next two baskets to give Idalia a 2-5 advantage. K.C. Krien added a driving score for St. Francis. Dinkel followed with a drive (plus one) and Idalia never lead again. A nice assist by Jesse Baxter to Dinkel on a cut to the goal moved the scoreboard to 9-5. Dax Towns scored from the mid-post for Idalia, St. Francis answered with baskets by Richard Johnson (mid-post) and Connor Keller (15-7). Carreras drained a trey from the left corner, Dinkel scored on an offensive rebound, and Carreras followed with another trey (right wing); his 3rd of the period. Keller answered with a trey for the Indians moments later. St. Francis led 20-13 after one quarter of action. Each team had 4 turnovers in the first period.
Idalia's Talon Glanz opened the second period with a post basket. Brady Dinkel swished a trey at the opposite goal. Idalia then earned baskets by Yahir Enriquez (drive), Glanz (offensive rebound), and Caleb Wingfield (free-throw area jumper). A driving score by Bru Carreras after an Indian turnover tied the game at 23-all with 2:45 remaining in the first half. The eight-point Idalia run had shifted momentum toward the Wolves. St. Francis needed to respond. Colton Neitzel ended the Wolves run with a stick-back basket. Dinkel earned a steal-two increasing the margin to four (27-23). Idalia answered with a fast-break basket by Reyes and jumper in the lane by Glanz. K.C. Krien drained two free-throws late in the half to give the Indians a slim two-point margin (29-27) at halftime.
The teams continued to battle closely throughout the remainder of the contest. Dax Towns' basket and Brady Dinkel's free-throw moved the score to 30-29. Jesse Baxter scored on a strong post-move, Dinkel added another free-throw, and Colton Neitzel added two free-throws giving St. Francis a bit of breathing room (35-29). Carreras soon added a fast-break basket for the Wolves. After a Neitzel free-throw, Enriquez scored on a fast-break for the Wolves. Jesse Baxter's stick-back basket was followed by a very deep trey from Carreras. The shot trimmed the advantage to 38-36. Draven Houtman then added two to the St. Francis total on a nice drive down the lane. After an offensive rebound score by Towns, a St. Francis turnover led to a lay-up by Carreras. Carreras was fouled on the play, but failed to convert the charity toss. However, the score was now tied at 40-all with 0:51 remaining in 3rd period. Jesse Baxter completed the third with an offensive rebound basket and a free-throw. St. Francis led 43-40 after three periods.
Jesse Baxter's next contribution was a beautiful assist to Brady Dinkel on a cut to the goal. The play resulted in a 5-point lead. Carreras drained consecutive free-throws and at 5:02, Idalia called time-out. Returning to action, Baxter found Dinkel again on a cut through the lane. Carreras answered with a driving score. Baxter's then scored on a drive of his own (49-44). On the next Idalia possession, Carreras was fouled on a 3-point attempt. Bru missed all three of the attempts, showing signs of fatigue. St. Francis then received a left-corner trey from Dinkel and a free-throw from K.C. Krien extending the margin to 53-44. Carreras scored again on a break, and Idalia called time-out with 1:34 remaining. At 1:19 St. Francis used a time-out to prevent a turnover against pressure defense. The possession ended with a post basket by Richard Johnson. After an Idalia miss, Dinkel added 2 more from the free-throw line extending the margin to double digits (57-46). Idalia would not score again. St. Francis added a driving score and two free-throws by Krien. St. Francis had worked hard and made the needed plays to win 61-46. The Indians now possess a record of 5 wins and 1 loss.
Idalia's Bru Carreras led all scorers with 26 points. Dax Towns and Talon Glanz each added 6 for the Wolves. Idalia made 2 of 8 from the line (2 of 7 in the 2nd half), committed 14 turnovers, and had 23 fouls.
St. Francis made 14-33 from the line, committed 8 fouls, and had 11 turnovers. Brady Dinkel scored 25 points to lead the Indians. K.C. Krien added 11. Jesse Baxter scored 9 points (all in the 2nd half). Others scoring for St. Francis were Connor Keller 5, Colton Neitzel 5, Richard Johnson 4, and Draven Houtman 2.
St. Francis will play Weskan on Tuesday, January 8, in St. Francis.
Click the photos to see more photos!
