Indians Split Games With Coyotes
On Tuesday, January 8, the high school basketball teams hosted the Weskan Coyotes. The Indian teams nearly won both contests, but the junior varsity team lost a heartbreaker in overtime, 17-19. The junior varsity game was only two quarters in length. The varsity Indians defeated Weskan by a score of 44-25 using strong defense to control the Coyotes. Weskan only scored 3 points in the second period and 2 in the final quarter.
In the junior varsity contest, Weskan earned the first basket of the game; a top-of-the-key trey by Dalton Mackley (5' 8" Fr.). The Indians soon took the lead getting a press-offense basket on an assist from Wyatt Hilt to Brady Schoenrogge, a top-of-the-key trey from Josiah Sims, and a right elbow jumper by Schoenrogge (assist Bryce Raby). At 1:27, Weskan called time-out trailing 7-3. The only additional basket scored in the initial period was a right-wing bucket by Weskan's Zach Schemm (5' 11" So.). St. Francis led 7-5 after one period of action.
Bryce Raby opened the second period with a post basket. After another Indian field goal and two free-throws by Dario Montrone, the Indians held a 13-8 advantage. Mackley drained another trey, this one from the left wing, to narrow the margin. The Indians answered with a press-offense basket by Schoenrogge (assist Bryce Raby). Mackley then earned a coast-to-coast drive and a stick-back basket tying the contest at 15-all with 1:35 remaining. With 49 seconds left, Weskan took a time-out and soon scored to take the lead. An assist from Schoenrogge to Wyatt Hilt in the post tied the game at 17.
In overtime, only one basket was scored; a post basket by Weskan's Caleb Schemm (5' 11" Sr.). The Indians earned several shots during the overtime, but could not convert. St. Francis lost the junior varsity contest, 17-19 in overtime.
Weskan's Zach Schemm (5' 11" So.) opened the varsity contest with a left-wing jumper. K.C. Krien soon answered with a driving basket. A post basket by the Coyotes' Tracer Vincent (6' 0" Sr.) followed. Jesse Baxter's driving score and jumper in the lane gave St. Francis the lead (6-4) for good at 5:35. Richard Johnson added a right-baseline shot and Krien scored on another drive to give the Indians a 10-4 advantage. Zach Box drained a right-wing trey narrowing the deficit, but Colton Neitzel grabbed and offensive rebound and turned it into an assist to Krien re-establishing the five-point lead. An offensive rebound basket by Box and a free-throw by Jace Mackley (5' 11" Jr.) made the score 12-10 at the first quarter break.
The Indians would forge ahead in the second quarter. Colton Neitzel added back-to-back free-throws early in the period. At 5:31, Weskan called time-out after committing a couple turnovers. Brady Dinkel earned a steal-two, and Connor Keller added another steal-score quickly moving the advantage to 18-10. Dalton Mackley followed with a right-corner trey; the only points the Coyotes would muster in the quarter. St. Francis continued plugging away and soon Richard Johnson added a post basket, Dinkel sank a top-of-the-key trey, and Neitzel added two more free-throws. St. Francis took a 25-13 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Weskan's Zach Box earned a stick-back basket to open the third period and followed it with a steal-two moving the Coyotes within eight (25-17). Jesse Baxter responded with right elbow basket and Brady Dinkel earned a lay-up (plus one). After a technical on St. Francis at 3:36, Schemm made one free-throw and on the Coyotes gifted possession, Jace Mackley earned another charity point. J. Mackley's coast-to-coast drive trimmed the margin to 30-21. After two more Neitzel free-throws, Vincent earned an out-of-bounds play basket from the post. Dinkel's left-wing trey closed the third period, with the Indians leading 35-23.
St. Francis would only allow one Coyote score in the final period; a basket by Jace Mackley. The Indians earned nine points getting a post basket by Colton Neitzel, a free-throw by Richard Johnson, a post basket by Jesse Baxter on a nice high-low pass by Neitzel, a lay-up by Brady Dinkel on a long outlet pass by Baxter, and two free-throws by Josiah Sims. St. Francis defeated Weskan 44-25 with a strong defensive performance.
St. Francis was led in scoring by Brady Dinkel with 13 points. Jesse Baxter and Colton Neitzel each added 8 points. Others scoring for the Indians included K.C. Krien 6, Richard Johnson 5, Connor Keller 2, and Josiah Sims 2. The Indians made 10 of 13 from the line, committed 12 turnovers, and had 8 fouls.
Weskan was led by Zach Box with 7 points Jace Mackley added 6. The Coyotes were whistled for 10 fouls and had 15 turnovers.
Weskan's record now stands at 3-6. St. Francis is 6-1. St. Francis will play Dighton, in Dighton, on Friday, January 11.
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