Author photo

By Candie Fix
Managing Editor 

Haxtun picks up two wins last week; improve to 3-0 on the season

 

December 14, 2022

(Herald photo by Candie Fix)

HAXTUN GUARD Ryland Wolff pushes the ball up the floor in the Bulldog's season opener against the Fleming Wildcats.

The Haxtun Bulldogs are on a three game winning streak following wins over Caliche and Perkins County, Neb. last week. The 3-0 start to the season leaves the Bulldogs in the top spot in early Lower Platte league standings and sixth in Colorado High School Activities Association 2A rankings.

Tuesday evening pitted the Bulldogs against the Plainsmen in Grant, Neb. Haxtun jumped to an early lead in the first half, but the home team narrowed in on the scoring gap to make a game of it. The Bulldogs edged out a one point, 51-50, win to remain unbeaten.

Two Bulldogs registered a double-double against Perkins County led by senior Maclin Tempel. Tempel racked up 18 points and pulled down 16 rebounds. Senior Michael Gerk, who made the last second basket to put the Bulldogs up by one at the final buzzer, put up 17 points and brought down 11 rebounds. Sophomore Ryland Wolff added 12 points followed by Kyle Fryrear who added four. Keegan Colglazier brought down four rebounds, Wolff tallied two and Fryrear snagged two.

Haxtun took the road again on Friday night for an early season match up with the Caliche Buffs. The Bulldogs dominated the first quarter, putting 19 points on the board while holding the home team to just six. A slower second quarter left the match 24-13 Bulldogs at half time.

The Buffs came out battling in the second half, matching the Bulldogs point for point in the third and fourth quarters but the lead from the first half gave Haxtun the edge to take the victory 55-44.

The Tempel-Gerk duo led the Bulldogs again. Gerk registered 21 points in Caliche while also pulling down 12 rebounds. Tempel added 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds under the basket. Wolff tallied nine points and brought down four rebounds. Colglazier added two points and five rebounds on the night. Fryrear put up six points and brought down four rebounds while junior Mason Bornhoft added two points and two rebounds.

"The boys have rebounded pretty well through the first few games. We could crash the boards on offense a little harder, but defensively, the rebounding has been good," said Head Coach Jayden Stieb. "We've struggled getting into a rhythm on offense. We've had a lot of single digit quarters. We need to find a way to keep our offense momentum throughout the game."

This week the Bulldogs are slated to compete in a Holiday Basketball Tournament at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Haxtun, the number one ranked team in the tournament bracket, will face Prairie, #8, at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15. Play continues into Friday and Saturday.

"We've done a great job in the first quarter," Stieb added. "Each game we've ended the first quarter up at least eight. We haven't played from behind much yet. Right now we need to focus on expanding on those early leads."

 

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