The Eagles basketball teams headed north to Garner for a double matchup the 20th of December that just didn't go the Eagles' way for either team.
In both the boys and girls matchups, the first periods of play were pretty similar. Both Eagles teams scored 9, while the Cardinals' boys scored 16, and the Cardinals' girls did close to the same, with 15.
Things began to diverge a little as the boys had a 12 to 18 second period, while the girls had an 8 to 10 second period. Taking the Cardinal boys into the half with a 10 point spread over the Eagles, 31 to 21, and the Cardinal girls into halftime with a 16 point lead, 31 to 17.
In the third the Eagle boys went 14 to 22 against the Cards, while the girls went 11 to 19. Which set both games up for a do-or-die fourth period for the Eagles.
The EG boys went into the final period facing an 18 point spread, and the GHV boys didn't help the Eagle guys any when they doubled that up by putting another 18 up. For their part, the Eagle guys outmatched the Cardinal fellas putting 22 up on the scoreboard. But starting the period 18 in the hole, and the other team giving nearly as good as they got meant the Cardinals secured their victory with a 14 point spread, 71 to 57.
The Lady Eagles went into their fourth facing an even more daunting challenge, with a 28 point deficit, and the Lady Cardinals didn't help them either, putting another 17 on the scoreboard. But the Eagle gals had run out of gas, and after putting another 2 on the scoreboard called it a night, as the Cardinal girls took the win 69 to 30.
In the boys game, individual performances by Leading Eagles Jaxon Morris, Drake Canavan, Jordan Morris and Tate Richardson lined up strongly against the Cardinals in points, field goals, free throws, and rebounds, but fell behind in assists.
Sophomore Jaxon Morris led the Eagles in points, scoring 22, including 8 field goals from 11 tries, and nailing both of two free throws. Canavan, a junior, was the runner up in points and three pointers, scoring 16 with 2 successful three pointers out of 9 attempts, and making 7 out of 18 field goal attempts. Jordan Morris, a senior, racked up a good scoring game too, putting 13 on the scoreboard while making half of 8 attempted field goals, 4 out of 6 free throws, and a three pointer. Canavan led in rebounds with 11 (including 1 offensive), and blocks and steals with 2 each. Richardson, a senior, and Jordan Morris got 4 rebounds each, and Richardson also chalked up a steal.
By comparison Leading Cardinal scorer, senior Drew Britson, scored 21 points, with 9 field goals from 20 tries, two 3 pointers out of 7 attempts, and made half of his 2 free throw attempts. Cardinal scoring runner-up Aiden Schisel, a junior, scored 13, making 5 of 7 field goals, 2 out of 3 three-pointers, and hit one free throw attempt. While Cardinals senior Braden Boenhnke scored 12, making 5 out 12 field goal shots, and 2 in 8 attempted free throws. And Britson also got 8 rebounds (4 offensive), a block, and 2 steals. While juniors Mason Graham and Kale Johnson both had respectable rebound games, Graham getting 6 with 3 offensive, and Johnson getting five, with 2 on offense.
But in assists the Cardinals led the Eagles decisively. For Garner-Hayfield-Ventura Boehnke got 7 assists while Britson got 6 and Graham got two. For Eagle Grove, Jordan Morris, Tate Richardson and Jaxon Morris each got three.
Stats were not published for the girls game by press time.
