Keota upended in district final

VAN HORNE — Keota boys basketball’s perfect run was thwarted on Tuesday night after a 67-62 loss to Gladbrook-Reinbeck in the Class 1A District 6 final

It was a tough night for the No. 6 ranked Eagles as they would never lead after the first frame, but they were never out of it.

Heading into the fourth quarter, the Eagles trailed the Rebels 52-47. Keota’s Chase Haifley drilled a half court heave to pull the Eagles within five after three.

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From then on out, the Eagles slowly chipped away at the deficit.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck went up eight, 55-47 through the first two minutes of the period, but a three from Tanner Waterhouse ignited a 10-2 run to the 3:22 mark. A three from Haifley and a lay in from Billie Kindred knotted the game at 57-57. That’s as close as the Eagles would come.

Offensive struggles hit the Eagles at the wrong time as they scored just five points the rest of the way out.

The Rebels put together an 8-2 run with 45.3 seconds remaining, but the Eagles had another shot.

Sawyer Stout buried a three with 29.6 seconds on the clock to pull Keota within three, 65-62.

After a defensive stop, the Eagles got a shot to pull it within one or even tie it up, but they couldn’t get the shot to fall and Gladbrook-Reinbeck hit two from the stripe to close it.

Keota had its chances through the game, but Gladbrook-Reinbeck never let the Eagles gain momentum.

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Through the first half, seven points was the highest point differential with the Rebels leading 14-7 in the first quarter. By the end of the first, the Rebels held a 20-13 lead.

In the second, the Eagles slimmed the margins. A 13-6 run by Keota tied the game at 26-26 with 1:40 to go in the half.

The two squads traded threes to tied it once more at 29s before the Rebels scored a pair to end the half on top 31-29.

In the third, the two squads continued to stay tight. Keota came as close as two on three separate occasions prior to the 3:58 point.

In the final three minutes, the Rebels went up by as much as eight twice before Haifley’s half court three went in.

“I’m proud of all these kids that played,” Keota head coach Dan Stout said. “Our senior group put a heck of a lot into this. Their upset right now, but when we look back at this no one can ever take it away from you. Perfect season until the end here. There’s a lot of things to be proud of.”

Sawyer Stout led the Eagles in scoring with 14. Evan Vittetoe finished with 10 points, along with Chase Haifley and Billie Kindred. Tanner Waterhouse and Cole Kindred both ended with nine.

Keota ends its season at 23-1.