SEC Friday: Trojans, Demons meet again

On Dec. 2 in Fairfield, the Washington Demons took two high school basketball games in the Highway 1 rivalry. One of those games was a double-digit comeback victory on the boys’ side, in which the Demons scored a huge 71-67 road win.

On Friday night in Washington, the two schools are going to run it back.

On the boys’ side, Washington comes in with a 4-4 overall record. The Demons are 3-1 in Southeast Conference play, tied with Burlington and Mt. Pleasant for first place.

Fairfield is just one game back, sitting 4-4 overall and 2-2 in league play. For the Trojans, Friday night’s game could mean the difference between staying in the race for the title or falling in a two-game hole.

In the Demons’ win at Fairfield, Aden Six led the way with 22 points for the Demons. JJ Lane scored 28 for the Trojans.

Washington’s girls rolled 62-32 in Fairfield, thanks in part to four double-digit scorers. Freshman Leighton Messinger had 14 points and nine rebounds in her SEC debut, and Alex Murphy went for 13 points and 14 rebounds.

Savannah Hollander’s 11-point night wasn’t enough to stop the Demons from beating the Trojans for the first time since 2014.

The Demon girls are 5-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. Fairfield sits 2-7 overall and 1-3 in the SEC.

If Washington wins, they’ll stay one game behind the first place race.

Speaking of first place, that’s what’s on the line in Mt. Pleasant. The Panther girls welcome in Fort Madison in a battle of teams that are 3-1 in conference play.

The Panthers (5-6, 3-1) will look for some revenge from the Bloodhounds (6-3, 3-1) for a 41-36 Fort Madison win on Dec. 2.

For Mt. Pleasant, a win would mean four-straight in SEC play. The Panthers will hope to get a boost from Tristian Shull, who was injured for the first game against Fort Madison this year.

Andrea Lopreato had 16 points and 21 rebounds in the loss at Fort Madison. Andi Scott scored seven points.

Every one of the last six matchups between the Panther and Bloodhound girls has been decided by 11 points or less.

While the Panther girls are at home, the boys will be at Fort Madison. Mt. Pleasant (6-3, 3-1) hopes to stay in first, as Fort Madison (2-5, 1-3) looks to get back in the mix.

The Panther boys pulled away from Fort Madison, 66-41, in the first meeting between the two teams. Payton Hagans scored 21 in the win, and Aaiden Ashton scored 14.

Mt. Pleasant’s December win over Fort Madison was its first in four tries, though over the past 18 matchups, Mt. Pleasant has won 14.

Keokuk and Burlington won’t take the court against each other on Friday. The Chiefs and Grayhounds will have a game in hand until Jan. 24, when the two finish their season series.