By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
Before the game, Cody Rincker said, “the first team to 40 will probably win.”
How prophetic was that?
But slowing down a team like Christ Our Rock Lutheran was not going to be an easy task. The Silver Stallions were taller, quicker, more athletic and liked playing an up-tempo game.
Plus, they had a near-perfect record, a lofty ranking and was considered the heavy, heavy favorite.
Rincker, however, had a blueprint for success.
“We couldn’t let them run and we couldn’t turn the ball over,” he noted. “We had to be successful doing those things to give ourselves a chance. Ever since I’ve been coaching, that’s been the blueprint for big games like this.”
The St. Anthony coach needs to keep that blueprint handy.
His Bulldogs went out and executed the game plan with near-perfection. And, as it turns out, that 40th point clinched the outcome.
When the final horn sounded Friday night, it was St. Anthony doing the celebrating. The Bulldogs had just pulled off an exciting and hard-fought 40-34 victory to clinch the championship of the Class 1A South Central Regional.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
North Clay has to be tired of seeing Ryan Schmidt in the semifinals.
In the semis of the National Trail Conference Tournament, Schmidt came off the bench, took 14 total shots and hit them all. He finished with 25 points and helped the Bulldogs win 60-43.
“Mr. Instant Offense” was back at it again Wednesday night – this time in the semifinals of the regional. His first two shots were three-point attempts and both hit nothing but net. He did ultimately miss a couple shots, but made 8-of-10, including all five from long range, and turned in a game-high 19 points.
That offense, plus the team’s ability to “flip the switch back on” in the third quarter, helped the Bulldogs pull away and post a 62-45 win over North Clay in a semifinal game of the Class 1A South Central Regional.
“I bet he wishes he played against North Clay every night,” St. Anthony coach Cody Rincker said.
That victory sets up a regional championship clash between St. Anthony and Christ Our Rock Lutheran. The Silver Stallions beat Cisne 61-46 in Wednesday night’s first semifinal contest. The regional final will be at 7 p.m. Friday at South Central High School in Farina.
Schmidt made his presence known immediately after entering the game midway through the opening quarter. His first three expanded the SAHS lead to 13-8. After Alex Boose hit a shot from behind the arc and Logan Fleener, who had 12 points in the opening period, scored on back-to-back possessions, the Cardinals had the lead, 15-13.
The St. Anthony Bulldogs opened postseason play with an easy 74-40 victory at home Saturday over Sandoval.
The Bulldogs raced to a 28-4 lead after the first eight minutes and coasted the rest of the way to claim an opening-round game of the Class 1A South Central Regional.
Collin Westendorf knocked down two three-pointers and scored 10 points in the opening quarter, helping SAHS build the early 24-point advantage. It was 50-25 at halftime and 68-38 heading into the final period. Because of the 30-point deficit, there was a continuously running clock in the fourth quarter.
Westendorf was one of four Bulldogs in double figures. He finished with a team-high 18 points, while Brock Fearday scored 14, Ryan Schmidt added 12 and Max Koenig had 10.
St. Anthony improved to 20-12 on the season and advanced to the semifinals of the regional. The remaining games will be played at South Central High School. The Bulldogs will face North Clay at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Cardinals are 21-9 after beating Dieterich 63-52 in a regional matchup Saturday.
This will be the third meeting between the two teams this year. The Cardinals won 53-49 in the NTC opener for both teams in November, but the Bulldogs bounced back to post a 60-43 victory in the semifinals of the NTC Tournament in January.
By Steve Raymond
ET Sports Report
Tuscola trailed virtually the entire game.
And by double digits on multiple occasions.
The Lady Warriors made several surges, but every time they got within five or six points, St. Anthony responded and built the lead back up.
Until the final 3½ minutes.
Adysen Rios and Addi Nuxoll hit jumpers and Stacie Vonderheide stole the ball and drove in for a layup to give the Lady Bulldogs a 41-35 lead with 3:38 to play.
But that was the last point St. Anthony scored.
They missed their final three shots from the floor, including an open layup that would have expanded the margin to eight points, plus three free throws and they turned the ball over three times down the stretch.
And Tuscola took advantage.
The Lady Warriors closed the game on a 10-0 run. Harley Woodard scored the go-ahead basket with 10 seconds to go and Sydney Moss added a breakaway layup eight seconds later to secure a 45-41 victory Tuesday night in a semifinal game of the Class 1A Casey-Westfield Sectional.
The St. Anthony Bulldogs ended their regular season on a winning note Friday night with a 66-50 victory at home over Casey-Westfield.
Collin Westendorf and Brock Fearday combined to score 52 points, helping SAHS notch its 19th win of the season and head into regional play on a positive note.
The Bulldogs led throughout. Fearday connected on four shots, including a three-pointer, in the opening period, as the Bulldogs built a 17-9 lead. The Warriors closed to within 28-21 at halftime, but St. Anthony then took control in the third quarter, outscoring Casey-Westfield 23-12 and opening a 51-33 advantage.
Westendorf tallied 11 points in that third period and Fearday added seven more.
Westendorf finished with 24 points and Fearday scored 18. Max Koenig was also in double figures with 10.
St. Anthony improved to 19-12 on the season. The Bulldogs will now open postseason play tonight (Saturday). They will be at home against Sandoval. Tipoff is at 6 p.m.
It’s one of four opening-round games today that are all part of the Class 1A Farina (South Central) Regional. The two semifinal games will be played on Wednesday with the championship game slated for Friday night at South Central High School.
The winner of the St. Anthony-Sandoval game will face the winner of the Dieterich-North Clay contest at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Page 13 of 59
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