The visiting Eagles kept things close in the first eight minutes. Senior guard Jarrett Pasley connected on a three and scored seven points. SEB was within 15-14, but a three-point play by Ryan Schmidt and a bucket by Max Koening helped the Bulldogs increase the margin to 20-14.

Two free throws and a three-pointer by Westendorf sparked an 11-2 run by the hosts in the second quarter. A jumper by Jonathan Willenborg capped that surge, giving the Bulldogs a 31-17 advantage. A long three by Willenborg at the buzzer sent St. Anthony to the locker room with a 39-23 edge.

“We were able to handle St. Elmo’s energy in the first quarter and did a good job when they were mixing up their defenses,” Rincker noted. “Then we started to string some stops together, got out on the break and hit some shots. That got us into a groove and let us build that lead.”

If there was any doubt as to the outcome, the third quarter removed it. Westendorf hit a three and Koenig and Sam Link also scored to start an 18-4 third-quarter surge. Heading into the final eight minutes, the Bulldogs owned a 30-point lead, 57-27, resulting in a continuously running clock in the final quarter.

Westendorf finished with a game-high 16 points and 10 rebounds. Brock Fearday added 13 points for the Bulldogs. They shot 56 percent from the floor, knocking down 19-of-34 attempts. They were 5-for-13 from long range and 18-for-21 at the foul line. They dominated the boards, outrebounding SEB 24-11.

“We’ve shown a lot of growth,” Rincker said. “I might have underestimated our youth. And with that, comes a lack of understanding of what a good possession is. Our young kids are getting used to the speed of a varsity game. They’re starting to understand we need to be patient, but aggressive at the same time. We’re not perfect, but we’re getting better.”

The Bulldogs improved to 5-3 overall and are now 2-1 in the National Trail Conference. They will play Tuesday at Newton and then return home Friday night for a National Trail Conference matchup with Dieterich.