SPORTS IN BRIEF: Boys basketball, district wrestling

Pioneers fall on last second shot

The Maharishi School of the Age of Enlightenment boys? basketball team lost 54-52 at home to Columbus Friday.

MSAE (3-16) took a 9-0 lead and led 19-11 at the end of the first quarter. The Pioneers saw a senior night victory slip through their fingers when Columbus made a layup in the final seconds to win the game.

Surya Sawhney had 19 points, 15 rebounds, two assists, one block and two steals. Suraj Pullapantula also scored 19 points. Giovanni Cingire chipped in six points.

The Pioneers? game Saturday against English Valleys was canceled.

Warriors fall in shootout game

The Van Buren boys? basketball team lost to IMS 47-41 in its SEISC Shootout game that was played at Southeastern Community College Friday in West Burlington.

Thomas Fitzsimmons led the Warriors with 12 points and two blocks. Garrett Saunders scored nine points and had five assists. Will Mertens and Brandon Plecker each scored seven points.

The Warriors (17-3) have one more regular season game, which is scheduled for tonight against Holy Trinity. The Warriors begin postseason play Thursday against either Sigourney or Moravia.

Cardinal finishes season with win

The Cardinal boys? basketball team finished the regular season with a 69-65 win over Louisa-Muscatine in its SEISC Shootout game Friday in Eldon.

Senior Charlie Rachford scored 27 points to lead the Comets. Cody Streeby scored 14 points and Sam Pedersen had 11.

Cardinal (9-10) is scheduled to play Pella Christian tonight in the first round of the playoffs.

Two Comets advance to state

The Cardinal High School wrestling team will be sending two wrestlers to the state tournament.

Ryan Cale (113) won both of his matches at the Class 1A District 5 tournament Saturday in Pleasantville and will be advancing to the state tournament. Cale took down Moravia?s Briar Cochran 8-6 in the championship round. Cale is now 36-5 on the season.

Josh Ramos (182) earned second place and will also be advancing to state.

Van Buren, Pekin don?t advance

The Pekin and Van Buren wrestling teams both will not be sending a wrestler to the state tournament.

Both schools competed at the Class 1A District 8 tournament in Wilton Saturday.

Hunter Coffman (145), Mitch Garrels (182) and Dakota LaRue (195) for Van Buren each finished fourth. Pekin?s Trenton Conger (220) also finished fourth.

**Pekin basketball articles will be published Tuesday.