Topper boys down Prairie Farm, Eleva-Strum; lose conference battle to Durand-Arkansaw

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by Joel DeWitt

Sports Correspondent

The Hilltopper boys’ basketball team ended 2023 on a sour note losing back-to-back road games against Middle Boarder conference foes. They began 2024 on more harmonious terms with a trio games.

While the Toppers fell to Durand-Arkansaw in their only conference matchup, they prevailed in both non-conference games.

Glenwood City (7-4, 2-2) opened action on January 2 hosting one-win Prairie Farm. The Hilltoppers led from start to finish, and four players hit the double-digit mark in scoring, as they opened up a 30-point halftime lead en route to the 90-49 win.

The Hilltoppers resumed conference action on January 5 with a road trip to Durand to take on the conference-leading Panthers. The Toppers struggled offensively in the first half as the Panthers jumped out to a 17-point advantage at intermission and held on for the 57-37 victory.

The Toppers concluded the week the next day with a late Saturday afternoon home game against Eleva-Strum. The Hilltoppers and Cardinals battled back and forth in the first half before Glenwood City took control midway through the second half to pull out the 63-55 win.

Glenwood City will return to action on January 11 when they host rival Boyceville (6-6, 1-4) for a 7:15 p.m. tipoff. The Bulldogs currently boost a three-game winning streak heading into action on January 8.

Prairie Farm

Glenwood City had one of its best offensive performances of the year against Prairie Farm. They shot a combined 60 percent (40-67) from the field, including nearly 70 percent from inside the arc.

The Toppers started the barrage early with Tyler Harrington hitting two, three pointers, and Brody Olson adding another, as they opened a 12-0 advantage with less than three minutes off the clock.

After a Panther free throw got them on the board, baskets by Brody Riba and Zach Hill extended the Hilltopper lead to 15 points. A quick 7-0 run by Prairie Farm halved the Hilltopper lead to 16-8 with 12:20 left in the first half.

However, the hot shooting Toppers rallied and went on a 30-12 run over the next nine minutes to extend the lead to 46-20 with 3:00 left in the first half. Two short jumpers by Morgen Eggert down the stretch helped Glenwood City close out the half with a season high 55 first half points and the 30-point advantage.

Glenwood City began the second half just as they finished the first, with a run to extend their already hefty lead. Riba started the scoring in the second half on a put back that ignited a 12-4 run to extend the lead to 67-29.

With the victory all but certain, the Hilltoppers cruised much of the second half as they put up a season high 90 points for the 90-49 win.

While Glenwood City’s offense was nearly unstoppable, its defense held the Panthers to under 32 percent shooting on the night.

Eggert led the quartet of Toppers in double-figure scoring with 17 points on the night on 8-10 shooting. Riba trailed only a point behind with 16 on a nearly perfect 8-9 from the field. Both Harrington and Olson added 15 points apiece.

Durand-Arkansaw

Unlike the previous game against Prairie Farm, the Hilltopper offense cooled off considerably against conference co-leader Durand-Arkansaw. The Panther defense held the Hilltoppers to only 30 percent shooting on the night and forced 15 turnovers to control the pace of the game.

Hill gave the Hilltoppers the early lead at 2-0 with a turnaround 5-foot jumper. Following back-to-back Panther baskets, Harrington’s corner 3-pointer put the Toppers back on top at 5-4 with 15:00 left to play in the first half.

A floating jumper by Olson re-established the Hilltopper advantage at 7-6. Durand pulled ahead again with a bucket with 11:00 left in the half. Eggert’s 10-foot jumper once again propelled the Toppers into the lead at 9-8.

However, it was all downhill the rest of the half for the Hilltoppers. Durand finished out the first half on a 26-8 run to go into intermission with a commanding 34-17 advantage.

Baskets by Riba and Olson to start the second half cut the Panther led to 13. However, the Panther defense didn’t allow Glenwood City to get any closer and held on for the 20-point win at 57-37.

Olson was the only Hilltopper in double digits putting up 14 points. He was a single rebound short of notching a double-double on the night.

Eleva-Strum

Less than 24 hours after a disappointing loss to Durand-Arkansaw, the Hilltoppers were back on the hardwood facing a winless Eleva-Strum squad. While on paper the Cardinals were outmatched, they fought tooth-and-nail with Glenwood City for 24 minutes before falling off.

Olson started the scoring off for the Hilltoppers with a three pointer to give them their first lead at 3-2. A basket by Hill, another 3-pointer from Olson, and a 15-foot jumper at the free-throw line by Caleb Klinger propelled the Toppers to the 10-6 lead.

A 10-0 Cardinal run over the next three minutes gave Eleva-Strum the 16-10 lead with 10:00 left in the game. The Hilltoppers battled back to 23-22 advantage with 5:00 left in the half on a Harrington 18-foot jumper from the elbow.

The Topper lead was short lived as the Cardinals responded with an 8-0 run to go up 30-23. Nevertheless, the resilient Topper squad responded with nine points down the stretch, including an Esdyn Swenby layup with time running out to go into intermission down 33-32.

Glenwood City and Eleva-Strum played nearly even ball for the first six minutes of the second half before the Hilltoppers, and particularly Olson, asserted control of the game.

An Olson layup on a fast break with 11:00 left gave the Hilltoppers the lead at 42-40, a lead they did not relinquish the remainder of the game and ignited them on a 17-4 run over the next six minutes.

During that critical six minute run, Olson accounted for nine of the Toppers 17 points, as the Hilltoppers opened up a 13-point advantage.

The Cardinals cut their deficit to seven points with 3:00 left in the game but couldn’t get any closer and the Hilltoppers prevailed 63-55.

The Hilltoppers had nine players score on the afternoon, with Olson leading the way with 33 points.