Ravens clip Wildcats

COLUMBUS JUNCTION - The Hillcrest Academy Ravens boys basketball team got back into game action following the Christmas break, traveling to play Southeast Iowa Super Conference North Division foe Columbus Friday, and came from behind to secure a 57-52 win over the Wildcats.

The win gives Hillcrest it's first road win of the season.

It was all Columbus early, as Hillcrest struggled to find the basket. The Ravens trailed 9-2 after three minutes of play. Trailing 15-7 with two minutes to play in the first period, Hillcrest finished the frame with a 6-0 spurt to get within 15-13. Columbus led at the half 29-28.

The Wildcats still led, 34-30, after four minutes of the third period before Hillcrest responded. Hillcrest tied it at 34 and used an 11-0 run to take a 43-34 lead after three periods. The Wildcats would not go away, and closed to within 50-47 with just under three minutes remaining.

Free throws by Kobe Borntrager and Eli Ours pushed the margin to 57-48 with fifteen seconds to play.

'It wasn't looking good early, but I liked how we were able to bear down and get it done under those circumstances,” Hillcrest coach Dwight Gingerich said. 'Columbus had two kids really hurt us in the first half and we did a much better job on them the second half, and it was good to find a better flow in the third quarter.”

Borntrager scored 21 points and had seven rebounds and three assists to lead the way for Hillcrest. Ours recorded 17 points, five assists and four steals. John Hughes scored nine points, and London Schrock and Noah Miller each added four points. Will Kolck completed the scoring with two points. London Schrock had seven rebounds and four steals, and Hughes pulled down six rebounds.

The win raises the Hillcrest mark to 4-3 on the season.

The loss puts the Columbus record at 0-9, 0-6 North with a game at Lone Tree tonight.

'Having three starters back is huge for us, and we did have a nice week of practice going into the game,” Columbus coach Dave Lekwa said. 'All the boys played well, but we just didn't have that one last run we needed to change the outcome.”

Eric Valdez put up 21 points for the Wildcats and Brody Frost had 11 on three 3-pointers. Valdez sank four treys, all in the first half.

Hammen carries Keota

Keota won a South Iowa Cedar League game at Lynville-Sully, 92-61, behind Luke Hammen's 26 points. He was 4 of 7 on 3-pointers.

JD Stout had 21 points, Carson Sprouse 14 and Wyatt Sieren 10.

The Eagles led 50-15 at halftime.

The Eagles are 7-1, 6-0 and host Colfax-Mingo tonight.

Laughlin leads Highland

Bill Laughlin posted an astonishing rebound total in Highland's 52-28 nonconference home win over English Valleys. Laughlin had a double-double with 11 points and 24 rebounds, with 21 of those 24 offensive caroms.

Mason McFarland added 15 points while Cole Adamson had five assists and seven points.

The Huskies are 8-1 and play at Hillcrest tonight.

Mid-Prairie falls

The Golden Hawks lost their fifth straight game after opening the season with a win and host Wilton tonight.

Mid-Prairie lost on the road to Northeast 51-38 in a River Valley Conference game.

Luke Boyse came off the bench to reach double figures in scoring with 11, hitting 2 of 3 triples. Hawks teammate Ethan Trimpe had six points. Aidan Rath had nine rebounds and five points.

Panthers blast past Mepo

Pekin won the SEISC North Division home game over Mediapolis 49-23.

After taking an 8-4 lead after the first quarter, the Pekin defense held the visitors to four points again in the second quarter for a 22-8 halftime lead. It was four points again in the third quarter to Pekin's 11.

Pekin (6-2 overall, 6-1 North) played at Cardinal Monday and plays at Wapello Feriday.