Holton boys battle Andale
The No. 15 seeded boys basketball team in the Class 4A west group of teams, Holton, gave the No. 2 seeded, Andale, team all it wanted on Wednesday night, March 4, in the opening round of the sub-state competition.
The final score was 50-46 but with 2:25 left to play in the game, the visiting Wildcats trailed by just two points, 41-39, after a three-point basket by senior Trey Wright.
The game was close throughout the entire contest. Midway through the second quarter, the Wildcats led the taller Indian team 20-12.
Andale led 24-22 at halftime, and two three-point baskets by Holton junior Blake Mulroy midway through the third quarter kept the Wildcats in the game and trailing by just two points, 30-28.
With 1:33 left in the third quarter, Holton freshman Matthew Lierz made a three-point basket to put the Wildcats ahead 31-30.
From there, the lead went back and forth with Andale scoring on a layup at the end of the quarter at the buzzer to re-take a 34-33 lead.
The Wildcats continued to battle in the fourth quarter. With 6:50 left to play, Holton senior Eli Prine made a three-point basket to tie the score at 36-36.
Holton’s next score was Wright’s three-point basket and after that the team’s next score was a basket by junior Kale Purcell with 1:03 left in the game to bring the Wildcats back within three points, 46-43.
Andale sank four of four free throws after that, however, and was content to milk the clock as much as the team could.
With 23 seconds left, Holton’s Mulroy scored a three-point basket to bring about the final score, 50-46.
Andale took second place in the Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail IV League with a 14-6 record. Wichita Collegiate won the league title with an 18-3 record. Other teams in the league were Clearwater (14-6), Rose Hill (10-10), Mulvane (9-11) and Wellington (5-14).
Andale (15-6 after the Holton win) was seeded No. 2 in the west group of 16 Class 4A teams behind No. 1 seeded Augusta.
No. 7 seed in the west Nickerson beat No. 10 seed Chapman 38-35 in the other sub-state game involving Andale and Holton.
In the sub-state title game, Andale beat Nickerson 59-31 to qualify for the 4A state tournament.
Other 4A teams in the west winning sub-states were Augusta, Rose Hill and Buhler.
Holton 14-8-11-13--46.
Andale 12-12-10-16--50.
Holton - Wright 1-1-0-0-5, Mulroy 0-4-0-0-12, Purcell 4-1-2-4-13, Lierz 1-2-0-0-8, Prine 0-2-0-0-6, Holaday 1-0-0-0-2. Totals 7-10-2-4-46.
Andale - Biermann 2-0-2-3-6, Landers 3-0-1-3-7, Hunter 6-1-3-3-18, Cocking 3-0-1-1-7, Rowland 0-0-1-2-1, Nilles 4-0-3-6-11. Totals 18-1-11-18-50.