Their undefeated streak could have been eradicated on Friday night, as the Cowboys battled conference rivals Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs.
Returning from winter break and heading into the new year, the Cowboys were off to a shaky start against the Bulldogs, who were up in the first quarter 22-14. The Bulldogs were quick, each pass so fast by the time you checked who had the ball, it was already soaring to reach the hoop. This wasn’t a major issue for the Cowboys, though the Bulldogs used their rapid movements to pile more points over the Cowboys as they were down eight points at the start of the second quarter. As the clock ticked closer to zero, the Bulldogs were still in the lead, and this could have worried the Cowboys as minor mistakes such as incomplete passing, inattentive to the where the ball was, or losing the ball. From the reactions of the fans, and especially the players and coaches, the referees sure didn’t help the Cowboys with controversial calls during the final minutes of the second quarter. The mistakes made led to the Bulldogs increasing their lead, as the first half concluded with a five point lead for Hampton-Dumont-CAL with the score of 33-28.
The Cowboys stomped their way into the second half, managing to make it a one point game in just a minute and a half. “Coach B. has a lot of knowledge on the game,” Landon Olson stated, as the Cowboys never fail in making a strong statement when heading into the second half. “[Coach B] has the most passion I have ever seen someone have for something!” Olson also stated, as he praised Coach Berning. The third quarter saw the game intensify even more, as the Cowboys stuck with the Bulldogs, and were no more than three points behind. However, the Bulldogs couldn’t hold the lead forever. The Cowboys whipped the lead right out of the Bulldogs’ possession and claimed it, as the Cowboys were up 41-40 with 1:40 left on the clock. The third quarter came to a 47-44 end, with the Cowboys on top after a crucial three pointer made with just 13 seconds left. With the fourth quarter underway, the Cowboys started to run away with the lead. The fourth quarter saw an abundance of points scored by both teams, but it was the Cowboys who ended on top. It seemed the game didn’t want to end, with timeouts and fouls halting the conclusion of the game with just seconds left. Pausing the game did nothing for the Bulldogs, however, as it granted the Cowboys foul shots to increase their lead. The game was then finally over, and the Cowboys could finally claim their 8-0 record with their undefeated season continuing through the new year. The Cowboys snatched their eighth win of the season with a 72-64 victory over the Bulldogs. Next on their list, the Cowboys will be heading to Pocahontas on Tuesday, Jan. 11, with tip-off set for 7:30 PM.
Stats: RBD AST STL BLK PTS
Jaxon Carpenter 4 3 3 0 18
Coady Olson 4 2 0 0 10
Aidan Harrington 6 3 0 0 8
Cael Chase 4 0 2 0 4
Connor State 8 2 2 0 19
Tyson Berning 3 3 0 0 0
Nevan Foss 1 0 0 0 0
Landon Olson 0 0 0 1 0
Jacob Moore 4 1 1 0 13
