Topper teams 1-1 after D-H against Osseo-Fairchild

By Kelsie Hoitomt

GLENWOOD CITY – Both the Glenwood City basketball teams participated in a double-header last Saturday at home against the Osseo-Fairchild Thunder.

Lady Toppers get the win

The first game of the afternoon was a success with the Lady Toppers beating the Lady Thunder 54-47.

It was a tight game that started fairly slow for the Hilltoppers with the Thunder up 17-8 after the first quarter. A big second quarter with 17 points scored for the Toppers and only six scored for the Thunder helped put the Toppers ahead for the first time 25-23 going into the half.

The third quarter was the same back and forth game with the Thunder scoring 12 points and the Toppers with 11 points which was just enough for them to keep the lead of 36-35 going into the fourth.

The Toppers picked up their game in the final eight minutes through the team work of Kelsie Knops and Jen Kopacz who combined had 16 of the 18 total points scored in the fourth quarter.

Kopacz had one of her season best games with 20 points scored from seven deuces, one triple and three free throws. Knops wasn’t far behind with 14 points scored from two deuces, two triples and four free throws.

Also scoring points were Janessa Ullom with six, Morgan Kadinger and Kristie Knops with five each and Olivia Weidling had four.

As a team the girls struggled some from the free throw line with 14 out of 26 attempts making it through the net. The Thunder struggled as well with six of their 14 attempts making it.

Boys fall short

The second game of the day had different results as the boys’ team was just not quite able to pull off the win as they lost by a point against the Thunder 61-60.

The skill set of both teams was evenly matched as it was a tight race throughout the entire game with the first quarter score at 16-14 and 36-33 by the half with the Toppers edging the slight lead.

The game changer was in the third quarter when the Toppers fell apart and turnovers cost them the lead as they scored just nine points compared to the Thunder who had 19, which put the score at 52-45 going into the fourth.

The Toppers quickly bounced back into the game with the help of two triples from Tyler Nueske and baskets from Jake Hierlmeier and Richard Ross.

However, with under a minute remaining, the Thunder ended up in control of the ball and were able to run the clock and score. Hierlmeier made a last second foul with 20 seconds left, which gave the Toppers the ball back. Hierlmeier then had the ball on the rebound and took a last chance shot as the buzzer rang, but the ball bounced off the back board and the Thunder won.

Missed free throws hurt the Toppers as they were just over 50 percent with 13 out of 25 attempts successful. The Thunder were successful with ten out of 15 attempts.

Nueske and Nick Mrdutt led the team in points with their work under the net and from outside the arc. Nueske had 17 points from three deuces, three triples and two free throws. Mrdutt finished with 16 points from five deuces, one triple and three free throws.

Also scoring were Ross with eight points, Matt Schouten and Hierlmeier each had seven and Marcus Kadinger had five.

The boys’ basketball team will play next on Thursday night in Elk Mound. The girls played Tuesday night in Spring Valley and will host Mondovi on Friday night.