HUTCHINSON, Kan. – After a heartbreaking 44-39 overtime loss to Osage City on Friday afternoon in the semifinals of the 3A State tournament at Hutchinson Sports Arena, the Halstead Dragons returned for the 3rd Place game on Saturday morning against Holcomb. Halstead used an 11-0 start to set the tone for the game and came away with a 13-point win to finish out their season.
Halstead 56, Holcomb 43 – Halstead wasted little time getting back into the flow of game they like to play as they jumped on the Longhorns early, taking an 11-0 lead. Holcomb got their first point on a free throw with 3:34 remaining and did not get their first field goal until the 1:53 mark as Halstead led 22-9 after the first quarter. Jordy Schroeder made a three right before the end of the quarter to give them the 13-point advantage. The Longhorns cut the lead to nine on two different occasions in the second quarter, but Schroeder made another three right before halftime to put the Dragons up by 12 at 32-20 going into the locker room. The two teams shot a combined 18-20 from the free throw line in the first half, but Halstead used their pressure defense to score 12 points off of turnovers.
The second half brought much of the same as a three-pointer from Piper Schroeder gave Halstead a 15-point lead early in the third quarter. Halstead led 41-25 when Holcomb went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead back down to eight. The Dragons led 43-34 after three quarters. Holcomb attempted to extend the game in the fourth quarter, but they would never get closer than eight points the rest of the way as Halstead shot 11-20 from the free throw line in the final quarter alone.
Four of Halstead’s five starters finished in double figures as Onnyka Nedich led the way with 14 points, including 5-8 at the free throw line. Piper Schroeder went 6-7 from the stripe and finished with 13 points. Playing her final game in a Halstead uniform, Addisen Wills was big again for the Dragons, scoring 12 points, going 4-6 from the free throw line, while grabbing seven rebounds and five steals. Jordy Schroeder also finished with 12 points including the two big three-pointers in the first half.
Halstead finished the season at 27-1 with the 3rd Place state finish. Holcomb ended the year at 25-4. Jaylee Wickwar was their lone double figure scorer with ten points on the morning.
Holcomb – Wickwar 10, Baier 7, Cranston 7, Hill 7, D. Galliart 4, Ardery 3, I. Galliart 3, Ruda 2
Halstead – Nedich 14, P. Schroeder 13, J. Schroeder 12, Wills 12, Bernal 5
