Reigning Panhandle Conference basketball champs Hemingford paid a visit to St. Agnes on Monday for a pair of games. St. Agnes fought hard but fell to the visiting Bobcats 40 to 34. Alliance did win the late game, defeating the guests 35 to 19. With the loss in the varsity game, the Crusaders fall to 5 and 6 for the year. The third period was a good one for the Cats as they outscored the Academy 11 to 4 in posting the victory. Hemingford was led in scoring by Cooper Galles who scored 17 points while Christian Sorensen tossed in 10. Chief Cody had a game high 18 tallies for the hosts. In the JV contest, it was Liam Pena scoring 10 for SA and leading the Cats was Branson Danner who netted 8.
Action was even in the first. Cody had all 6 of the points for the Academy. Hemingford got first period baskets by Sorensen, Landon Grimes, and Teagan O’Gorman along with 2 Galles free throws in taking the lead. After one, the Crusaders were down 8 to 6.
Alliance would outscored the Cats in the second. Overall, the Academy put 13 tallies in the scorebook while the guests had 10. Both Cody and Galles led their teams by scoring 6 apiece in the period. Four points by Alliance’s Mason Conyers helped the hosts surge ahead. A Pena hoop and a free throw by Crusader Tee Johnson gave the Academy a one point lead at halftime 19 to 18. Also scoring for Hemingford in the quarter were Grimes and Sorensen.
Period #3 is where the Cats made their move. After a basket by Crusader Tatum Devlin, the Bobcats scored 9 in a row to go up 27 to 21. Scoring during the spree for Hemingford were Grimes and Galles. A two by Conyers ended the run but the quarter closed with a deuce by Sorensen. Heading to the fourth, the Bobcats were ahead 29 to 23.
Both teams put 11 tallies on the book in the final period of play. Hemingford struck first with a trey by Silas Lilley-Stone. Following another score by Devlin, the Hemingford margin went to 11 after four points by Galles. Back came the Academy with a three pointer by Conyers and a Cody 2 as the hosts sliced their deficit to 6 in the final stages. The teams then traded scores with SA getting 4 points by Cody and the Cats getting tallies from Sorenson and Galles.
Final Hemingford 40 Alliance 34
HEM 8 10 11 11 40
ALL 6 13 4 11 34
Scoring for the Cats Galles 17 Sorensen 10 Grimes 8 Lilley-Stone 3 O’Gorman 2
Scoring for the Crusaders Cody 18 Conyers 9 Johnson 1 Devlin 4 Pena 2
St. Agnes responded in the second game, defeating the Cats 35 to 19.
Six first period points by Alliance’s Declan Kirchner paced the Academy offense. The Crusaders also got first quarter scores from Jaden Estevane-Acosta and Pena in taking an 11 to 4 first period lead. Scoring for the visitors in the opener were Jeremiah Armenta and Danner. St. Agnes increased its margin in the second, putting another 11 on the board while holding the Cats to just 4. Pena led the charge with 8 points while the Academy got a three pointer by James Benzel in maintaining its lead. Danner had all 4 tallies for the guests in the period. After 2, SA was ahead 22 to 8.
Play was even in the third with both clubs scoring 8 each. The Crusaders got another three by Benzel, a 2 by Tristin Hansen, and a trey by Estevane-Acosta. Three Cats-Armenta, Zaine Frost, and Jacob Schledewitz-scored in the third for the guests. Alliance had a 30 to 16 lead heading to the fourth. St. Agnes extended its margin in the fourth. The Crusaders held the Cats to just 3 points while scoring 5. A three pointer by Alliance’s Gavin Mahoney led the scoring while making a 2 pointer in the period was Kirchner. Hemingford got a fourth quarter bucket by Danner and a free throw by Frost.
Final Crusaders 40 Bobcats 19
HEM 4 4 8 3 19
ALL 11 11 8 5 35
Scoring for the Cats Danner 8 Armenta 6 Frost 3 Schledewitz 2
Scoring for Alliance Benzel 6 Estevane-Acosta 6 Pena 10 Hansen 2 Mahoney 3 Kirchner 8
The Alliance JV squad will host Hay Springs on Tuesday. Both Crusader teams go to Scottsbluff on Thursday.