Holcomb takes two GWAC games from Scott City

Holcomb, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Playing for the second time this year, Scott City and Holcomb were trying to pick up some momentum into the final two games of the season. After it as all said and done, the homestanding Longhorns picked up two victories Tuesday night at Holcomb High School, as the girls won 57-25, while the Longhorn boys held off a Scott City comeback with a 66-57 win.

Any hope that Scott City had of staying with or upsetting the Holcomb Lady Longhorns was subdued early on. Holcomb scored the first 18 points of the game before the Lady Beavers scored their first three points. The Lady Longhorns led 26-8 after the first quarter, thanks to good shooting, and the lead would grow to 37-15 at the break. In the second half, it looked as though it was a carbon copy of the start of the game, as Holcomb outscored Scott City 14-2, and took a 51-17 lead heading into the fourth quarter. With a running clock in the final eight minutes due to the 30-point rule, the Lady Beavers actually won the quarter 8-6. Three Holcomb (16-2, 7-1) players ended up in double figures, led by Taylor Deniston with 17 points, followed by Haley Heydman with 15 and Jordan Jarnagin with 14. Scott City (2-16, 0-8) got eight from Bailey Nickel and seven from Kelly Wycoff.

In the boys game, it looked as though Scott City was going to put the game away early on, as they jumped out to a 9-3 lead. Holcomb made a charge, and never surrendered the lead, by using a 14-0 run in nearly four and a half minutes to take a 17-9 lead with seven minutes left before halftime. It would be extended out to a 20-3 run by the Longhorns, as they took a 23-12 lead with over three minutes remaining in the second period. The Beavers, though, responded on an 11-5 run to end the half trailing 28-23. After Scott City pulled to within three early in the third period, a pair of three’s by Holcomb helped kick off a 10-2 run and they took another 11-point lead with 5:36 left in the third. The Beavers were all but finished at that time, as they responded with an 11-2 run to pull to within 40-38 with 2:09 to go in the third frame. It would be short lived, as the Longhorns responded with a 13-3 run in the final 1:50 of the period to take a 53-41 lead going into the final quarter. Scott City (15-3, 6-2) could get no closer than five points in the final eight minutes of play and suffered their second straight league loss. Holcomb (15-3, 7-1) took sole possession of first place in the GWAC with two games remaining, as they had four players in double figures, led by Dalton Gottschalk with 18 points, while Heath Tucker added 15, and Calen Rupp and Conner VanCleave pitched in 11 respectively. Sloan Baker led the Beavers with 18 points, followed by Trey O’Neil and Brett Meyer with 12.

Next for Scott City is a GWAC doubleheader at Colby on Friday. The varsity games will be played at Colby High School, due to the Class 4A Regional Wrestling Tournament taking place at the Colby Community Building. Holcomb visits Ulysses on Friday.