Holcomb picks up two GWAC wins over Scott City

Holcomb, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–As the regular season is quickly winding down, the games for seeding for sub-state are starting to become more important. That was the case at Holcomb High School on Friday night, as two GWAC rivals battled, as the Longhorns played host to Scott City. It would be sweep for Holcomb on homecoming night, as the Lady Longhorns led wire to wire in a 66-44 victory, while the Holcomb boys pulled away late for a 47-40 win.

Holcomb Girls 66, Scott City 44
The Lady Longhorns were hot from the field early and never looked back, as Scott City committed four turnovers in as many possessions. Just like that, it was 12-0 before the Lady Beavers scored. Holcomb took a 23-8 lead and led by 17 early in the second quarter, before Scott City used a 7-3 run to get to 28-15 with 4:33 left before halftime. The Lady Longhorns went on to score the next nine points to lead 37-15 late in the first half, before the Lady Beavers scored the next seven points of the game in the second and third quarters. Holcomb (11-6, 2-2 GWAC) slowly built their lead, taking a 51-33 lead into the fourth quarter, and would start the final period on a 6-2 run to lead 57-35 with just under five minutes left. Scott City (8-10, 1-3) scored five straight, only to see the Lady Longhorns score nine of the games final 13 points in a 66-44 win.

Halle Jones led Holcomb with 27 points, while Jera Kruleski added 22 and Brooklyn Deniston had 11. Scott City was led by Erika Felker’s 17 points and Brooke Strine finished with 12 points, all which came in succession in the first half.

Holcomb has won four straight in the series for the first time since 2014-15 and now lead the series 34-27.

Scott City  8 12 13 11–44
Holcomb 23 14 14 15–66

Scott City: Stevens 0 0-0 0; Gentry 1 0-0 3; Strine 3 6-8 12; Felker 5 2-2 17; Metzger 1 0-0 2; Lewis 1 1-4 3; Cramer 1 0-0 2; Trout 1 3-4 5; Team: 13 12-18 44
Holcomb: Magana 0 0-0 0; King 0 0-0 0; Deniston 4 0-0 11; Galliart 2 0-1 4; Kruleski 6 8-10 22; Jones 10 3-4 27; Resendiz 1 0-0 2; Team: 23 11-15 66

Three-Pointers: Scott City 6 (Felker 5, Gentry 1); Holcomb 9 (Jones 4, Deniston 3, Kruleski 2); Rebounds: Scott City 29, Holcomb 19; Turnovers: Scott City 22, Holcomb 11; Fouls: Scott City 14, Holcomb 11; Fouled Out: None.

Coach Amy Felker Postgame

Holcomb Boys 47, Scott City 40
In a game that saw five ties and eight lead changes, the Longhorns would pull away late in the game. The first eight minutes were played to a 7-7 tie, as Holcomb scored the first four points of the second frame to lead 11-7 in the first minute. Scott City responded with the next seven points to take a 14-11 lead with 5:37 left in the half. The Longhorns counted with the next six to lead 17-14. When the Beavers led 18-17 with 1:40 left before recess, Holcomb (9-8, 1-3 GWAC) responded with the final five points of the half to lead at the break 22-18. Both teams would trade punches in the second half, before Scott City (9-9, 2-2) used a 7-2 run to lead 33-30 with 2:26 left in the third quarter. That’s the last time the Beavers led, as foul trouble and a six-minute scoring drought plagued them. The Longhorns closed out the third quarter with the final seven points, and scored the first two of the fourth to lead 39-33 in the first minute of the final stanza. Scott City could get no closer than three, at 41-38 with 3:54 left. Holcomb scored six of the final eight points of the game to take a 47-40 win. 

Drayton Knoll, who was scoreless in the first meeting, led Holcomb with 21 points, while Korbin Johnson added 11. Scott City got 16 from Jackson Rumford.

Holcomb snapped a four-game losing streak Friday night, and have now won four straight against the Beavers at home. Scott City leads the series 33-31.

Scott City 7 11 15  7–40
Holcomb 7 15 15 10–47

Scott City: Duff 0 0-0 0; Metzger 3 0-2 8; Noll 2 0-0 5; Tarango 2 0-0 4; Vulgamore 0 0-0 0; Rumford 4 7-8 16; Bailey 3 0-0 7; Vance 0 0-0 0; Stoecklein 0 0-0 0; Team: 14 7-10 40
Holcomb: Palacios 3 0-0 8; Deniston 0 0-2 0; Johnson 1 9-11 12; Orosco 0 0-0 0; Hardy 0 2-2 2; Orosco 0 0-0 0; Hardy 0 2-2 2; Herrel 1 0-0 2; Tichenor 2 0-0 4; Knoll 7 5-5 19; Team: 14 16-22 47

Three-Pointers: Scott City 5 (Metzger 2, Noll 1, Rumford 1, Bailey 1), Holcomb 3 (Palacios 2, Johnson 1); Rebounds: Scott City 19, Holcomb 25; Turnovers: Scott City 14, Holcomb 13; Fouls: Scott City 19, Holcomb 12; Fouled Out: Scott City (Rumford).

Coach Brian Gentry Postgame

After Friday night, the Lakin sub-state standings look like this for the Boys: 1. Colby 15-3; 2. Lakin 9-7; 3. Holcomb 9-8; 4. Scott City 9-9; 5. Goodland 8-8; 6. Larned 5-12; 7. Cimarron 4-13; 8. SW Heights 1-17. For the Girls: 1. Goodland 17-0; 2. Cimarron 14-3; 3. Colby 12-6; 4. Holcomb 11-6; 5. Lakin 10-6; 6. Scott City 8-10; 7. SW Heights 5-13; 8. Larned 3-14.

Up next for Scott City is their final home game with Colby on Tuesday, while Holcomb hosts Cimarron on Tuesday.