Boys Lose By Two
Indians 52 - Buffs 54
The Rawlins County Buffaloes and the St. Francis Indians battled back-and-forth for four quarters, but the Indians were on the short side of the score when the final horn blew. St. Francis lost to Rawlins County 52-54 in St. Francis on Friday, January 25. The Indians led by as many as 14 points (33-19) late in the second period, but the scrappy Buffaloes kept plugging away and with some fine shooting finally secured the lead at the 5:30 mark of the final period. The Indians never lead again.
St. Francis jumped out to an early 10-0 lead which caused a Rawlins County time-out at 5:48. The Indians received a deep trey from Brady Dinkel just seconds into the game. Jesse Baxter followed with a jumper (assist Dinkel) and a baseline drive (and one). When K.C. Krien's pass found Colton Neitzel on a cut through the lane, the Indians were in charge 10-0. Rawlins County's first basket came from Jorge Chacon (5' 11" Sr.) on a right-wing trey. Baxter's second baseline drive was answered by a press-offense basket by Iean Hemel (6 3" Jr.). After a free-throw by Cody Baxter, Travis Chvatal (5' 10" So.) scored on a drive. Cody Baxter's baseline score was followed by a left-wing trey by Michael Martinez (5' 10" Sr.). St. Francis held a 15-10 lead at the end of the first period.
A left-corner trey by Jorge Chacon narrowed the advantage to two early in the second period. A post basket by Jesse Baxter followed. After a free-throw by Chacon, Michael Martinez scored on a floater in the lane reducing the margin to one (17-16). Baxter then added a bucket and Colton Neitzel scored on a drive. Chacon and Brady Dinkel then traded treys; both from the left wing. An assist from Connor Keller, set up a top-of-the-key trey for Dinkel. After Dinkel added a driving score, St. Francis took a time-out at 2:51 leading 29-19. After returning to action, Jesse Baxter added a stick-back basket and and a baseline score (assist Dinkel). The advantage was now 33-19; the largest of the contest. The Buffaloes would score the final two baskets of the half; a basket by Martinez on an assist from Marvin Sanchez( (5' 11" Sr.) and lay-up by Chacon after an Indian turnover. St. Francis led 33-23 as the teams headed to the locker room at halftime.
Chacon added the first two baskets of the second half to the Buffs' side of the scoreboard; both right-wing treys. Cody Baxter tossed in a baseline score moments later. After a free-throw by Colton Neitzel, Sanchez drained another trey for the Buffs. The three quick treys had pulled RC within four (36-32). After a free-throw by Brady Dinkel, Chacon struck again; another left-wing trey (37-35). The Indians were needing a score badly, and they got it. K.C. Krien's assist led to a basket by Dinkel. K.C. followed with a driving score. With the addition of a left-wing trey by Dinkel and steal-two by Cody Baxter, the Indians again held a comfortable 11-point lead (46-35). As they had done in the second period, the Buffs scored the final two baskets of the quarter. RC's Arie Olson (6' 1" Sr.) added a post basket, and Hemel scored on the baseline on an assist from Chacon. St. Francis led 46-39 at the third quarter horn.
The treys would continue to rain down. Unfortunately, it would not be from the Indians. Though he had not yet scored in the contest, Brenan Dixson (6' 1" Sr.) drained a left-wing trey to open the final period. After a driving basket by Chacon, Dixson swished two DEEP treys from nearly 30 feet. The second trey placed the Buffaloes in the lead, 46-47, with 5:30 remaining in the game. Dixson was not done. A third deep trey moved the Buffs to a 4-point advantage. Brady Dinkel added a free-throw after being fouled on a drive, and Jesse Baxter scored from the right-wing after an offensive rebound. At 2:12, RC used their second time-out leading 49-50. On the next Buffs' possession, Arie Olson scored on a drive. After a missed shot by the Indians, K.C. Krien earned a steal and made an assist to Dinkel for a lay-up. RC used another time-out with 45 seconds remaining. Since the Indians had seldom fouled, the Indians needed to commit two fouls before the Buffs would go to the line. On the second foul, RC's Dixson swished back-to-back free-throws (51-54) with 32 seconds left. St. Francis used their 2nd time-out with 13 seconds remaining to set up offense. After a St. Francis miss, the Buffs rebounded and called time-out with 7 seconds left. K.C. Krien stole the basketball and was fouled in the process. K.C. made one-of-two. RC used their final time-out with 2 seconds left. The Buffs successfully inbounded the basketball to win the game. St. Francis lost a hard-fought battle to the Rawlins County Buffaloes 52-54.
Both teams had two players in double figures. Rawlins County was led by Jorge Chacon with 23 points. Brenan Dixson added 11 (all in the final quarter) and Michael Martinez chipped in 7. St. Francis received 19 from Jesse Baxter and 18 from Brady Dinkel. Others scoring for St. Francis were Cody Baxter 7, K.C. Krien 5, and Colton Neitzel 3.
The Indians made only 6 of 13 from the line, however they only committed 11 turnovers and had 13 fouls. The Buffs made 3 of 5 from the stripe. RC had 16 turnovers and 12 fouls. The Buffs made 7 treys in the second half (11 in the game).
The junior varsity boys game was only two quarters in length. St. Francis scored first on a right wing shot by Brady Schoenrogge. RC's Issac Domsch soon added a top-of-the key trey. A basket by Iean Hemel on an assist from Travis Chvatal gave the Buffs a 2-5 advantage. A basket in the lane by Cutler Mayer was followed by a steal-assist by Josiah Sims on a cut by Mayer. RC added the final basket of the first period; a basket by Omar Sanchez (6' 1" Fr.). St. Francis trailed 6-8 after one period.
Brady Schoenrogge opened the final period with a pair of free-throws. After a post-basket by the Buffs, Josiah Sims scored on a drive. Chvatal then tossed in a top-of-the-key trey (10-13). Sims answered with drive. A baseline basket by Domsch was followed by a right-wing trey by Chvatal giving the Buffs their largest lead of the contest (12-18). Schoenrogge added a baseline drive, but Sanchez answered with a stick-back basket. The final score of the contest came on an offensive rebound by Wyatt Hilt with about a minute to play. St. Francis lost to Rawlins County 16-20 in a two-quarter JV contest.
The Indians will play in Holyoke, Colorado, on Tuesday, January 29.
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