The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

The basketball season came to an early close for the Fleming Wildcats last week. The team lost to Peetz in the opening round of the District 4 Tournament at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, ending their season.

The Wildcats met up with Peetz twice during the regular season. They took a 10-point win over the Bulldogs in mid-January on Peetz's home court. Then defeated them for a second time in the final regular season contest at Fleming; that time by two.

Peetz came out strong in the opening quarter and put 25 points on the scoreboard while giving up just 10 to the Wildcats. Fleming knocked the 15-point scoring gap down by two in second quarter outscoring the Bulldogs 11-9. Peetz remained out in front at halftime, 34-21.

The Wildcats came back fired up following the halftime break. They added 13 points in the quarter and at times trailed the Bulldogs by a mere three points. Peetz put up nine in the third quarter, keeping the upper hand by nine, 43-34.

Herald photo by Spring Atchison

FLEMING SENIOR Dylan Nolde towers over Peetz's Ethan Ramey in the paint in round one action of Districts.

Another high-scoring fourth quarter for the Bulldog offense sealed the fate of the contest. The Wildcats sent the Bulldogs to free-throw line 17 times in the final period. Peetz capitalized on 12 of those charity-stripe trips. They also added six points off two-point field goals for a 20-point tally to finish the game. Fleming saw the free-throw line 12 times in the fourth, but added points on only 33 percent of those shots. They closed with 11 points in the final quarter, giving Peetz the 63-45 win.

Seniors Brandon Williams and Dylan Nolde led the Wildcat offense. Williams sunk four three-point shots and two for 14 points total. Nolde made good on four two-pointers and two free throws.

Junior Chris Goss and seniors Daniel Dobson and Eric Resendiz followed on the scoreboard. Goss made two three-pointers, a two-point field goal and a free throw for nine. Dobson went five for six from the free-throw line for five points. Resendiz made one two-point bucket and two free throws.

The Wildcats, who finished the year at 13-7 overall, bid farewell to five seniors this year. They'll lose Peter Betley, Dobson, Nolde, Resendiz and Williams to graduation this May.