We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Harlem senior Brad Cichosz put the Wildcats on his back down the stretch scoring 11 of his game high 19 points in the fourth quarter of their thrilling 47-45 win over Chinook last Thursday.
Wildcat sophomore RJ Ramone glides in for two of his eight points during first half action against the Sugarbeeters.
Chinook junior Ethan Bell scores a fourth quarter bucket to tie the game at 38-38. Bell finished with a team high 16 points in the contest. Both teams finished the week off at 7-1 and at the top of their respective conferences.
The 'Game of the week' in Blaine took place in Chinook last Thursday with the 6-0 Sugarbeeters hosting the 5-1 Wildcats in a non-conference class between former Class B rivals.
Of course the Sugarbeeters are in the Class C now and currently hold the top spot in the District 9C. The Wildcats are undefeated in District 2B play with their only setback coming to the Rocky Boy Stars of the District 1B.
Many were expecting a shootout between the two fast paced teams but what took place was a defensive showdown that saw 14 lead changes and six ties in a contest that came down to the final seconds. In the end, and on the heals of a valiant fourth quarter effort by senior Brad Cichosz, it was the Wildcats that took round one between the teams with a 47-45 win.
Saturday in Glasgow the Wildcats found their mark from long range, dropping in 15 bombs from beyond the arc to run away with a 74-44 conference win over the Scotties. The fifteen three-point buckets is a Harlem School Record and is tied for the fifth most in MHSA history. The record of 22 was set by Melstone in 2019.
The Sugarbeeters wasted little time in getting back on the winning track with a 67-24 win over the Turner Tornadoes Saturday night.
The Hays/Lodge Pole Thunderbirds were home Friday night, hosting the Turner Tornadoes and found the win column for the first time this season with a 84-54 win. Saturday the Thunderbirds were looking to make it two in a row but after having an early lead they were unable to maintain it and fell 52-44 to the Hawks.
The Chinook High School Floyd Bowen Gym was the sight of the first battle for Blaine County. A non-conference clash pitting the areas two top boys teams from Chinook and Harlem. The 6-0 Sugarbeeters and the 5-1 Harlem Wildcats both lead their respective conferences but county bragging rights were on the line Thursday evening.
Both teams can get out in the open court and run. Both can shoot the ball and both are in really good shape and have no problem playing pressure defense start to finish.
All of that was on display Thursday night. Some expected a defensive struggle between two get after it type of teams. Others foresaw a quick up and down, fast paced shoot out. In some ways both were right.
Both teams certainly got up and down the court, both looked to run. Both also looked to establish a quick pace in the half court set yet both were on top of things on the defensive side of the ball. Quick hands, quick feet and team defense spoke the loudest throughout the bulk of the contest.
In the end it was the defense that prevailed. Both teams were held under 35% shooting from the field with the defense constantly forcing the offense into difficult shots. Both teams did an exceptional job getting back on defense in transition and both were very disciplined, for the most part.
The game featured fourteen lead changes and six ties. The 'Beeters largest lead came late in the third quarter at 30-25, the Wildcats largest lead came midway through the fourth quarter at 38-34 both were followed by ties.
The Wildcats held a slim 11-10 advantage after eight minutes of action but bounced back in the second to lead 21-18 by intermission.
Harlem regained the lead late in the third quarter to take a 33-32 advantage into the fourth quarter. The 'Beeters would tie the contest at three occasions but the Wildcats maintained a 1-2 point advantage otherwise.
Down the stretch both teams turned in valiant effort but in the end it was the 'Beeters inability to convert at the charity stripe and the superb effort of Harlem senior Brad Cichosz that decided the outcome.
Chinook would miss on three consecutive attempts from the free throw line with a chance to take the lead only to see Cichosz convert on four of four and score 11 of the 14 Wildcat points to help Harlem secure a hard fought 47-45 win.
Cichosz led the Wildcat effort with 19 points and sophomore RJ Ramone added eight. The Sugarbeeters were paced by the efforts of junior Ethan Bell with 16 points and junior Reese Elliot with 12.
Looking to bookend the win with another big win, the Wildcats were back in the Jungle hosting the Glasgow Scotties in a District 2B contest.
The Wildcats were a little sluggish during first quarter action and found themselves down 13-11 early on. Harlem did get five points each from senior Brad Cichosz and sophomore RJ Ramone including a pair from beyond the arc and that would become the big story line on this night.
The Wildcats got red hot from distance in quarter number two. Cichosz and sophomore Daniel Lawrence would each bury a trio of triples in the stanza and the Wildcats would score 29 to lead 40-24 by the break.
Cichosz and the Wildcats only scored eight in the third quarter but the senior did add another trifecta to his total, giving him five through three quarters.
Harlem would close out the second half in the same manner they did the first. Lawrence converted four more attempts form beyond the arc to give him seven in the contest. Cichosz added his sixth and sophomore Teagan LeValdo found his mark from beyond the arc to help Harlem claim a 74-44 conference win over the visiting Scotties.
When the dust settled the Wildcats had knocked down a school record 15 three point bombs. In addition the fifteen is good for fifth (Tie) on the all time, all class MHSA record book. In the contest the Wildcats made more baskets from distance, 15, than from two-point range 13.
Cichosz led the Wildcat attack with 27 points while Henry finished with 25.
The Chinook Sugarbeeters were in Turner Saturday night looking to right the ship after suffering their first loss of the season two days earlier.
The 'Beeters took a few trips up and down the court before they started to find their rhythm. The 'Beeters led 18-8 after eight minutes of action.
The 'Beeters then found high gear as they took the court for the second quarter. The junior duo of Ethan Bell and Reese Elliot combined for 20 points in the stanza and sophomore Toby Niederegger add six of his own as the 'Beeter offense put 32 on the board to lead 50-10 by intermission.
The 'Beeters sat their starters for the second half as they got the entire bench involved in securing a 67-24 win over the Tornadoes.
All 12 players found the scoring column or recorded a rebound or steal in securing the win. Bell scored 14 to lead the way and Elliot added 10 all in the first half. Junior Oskar Pula added nine. Niederegger and junior Benton Elliot each chipped in eight.
Friday night in Hays the Thunderbirds were looking to get back to their winning ways when they welcomed the Turner Tornadoes to town. Both squads had yet to find the win column entering the contest and something had to give.
The Thunderbirds started fast nearly doubling up the Tornadoes at the end of one 26-14. Hays/L.P. extended that advantage in the second with another strong effort scoring 20 more to take a 4646-30 lead into halftime.
The Thunderbirds would push the lead to 70-42 entering the fourth and walk away with a 84-54 win over the Tornadoes. Sophomore Tyshawn Shambo led the offensive attack with 26 points. Sophomore Deshon Shambo added 14 as did senior Wyman Bringing Good.
Harlem 47 Chinook 45
Harlem 11 7 15 14 - 47
Chinook 10 11 11 13 - 45
Harlem - Brad Cichosz 7 5-6 19, Tyler Cichosz 2 3-5 7, RJ Ramone 4 0-0 8, Daniel Lawrence 2 1-3 6, Truth Brockie 0 0-0 0, Trent Main 2 1-2 5, Jeiton Long Fox 0 0-4 0, Cassius Johnson 0 0-0 0, Teagan LeValdo 0 0-0 0, Amari Stanley 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 18 10-20 47.
Chinook - Ethan Bell 7 1-6 16, Hunter Neibauer 2 0-2 4, Damon Hannum 0 0-0 0, Braden Eoff 0 0-0 0, Benton Elliot 0 0-0 0, Toby Niederegger 4 0-1 9, Reese Elliot 2 8-12 12, Ethan MacLeod 1 2-3 4, Oskar Pula 0 0-0 0, Hunter Molyneaux 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 16 11-24 45.
Three Point Field Goals - Harlem 1 (Daniel Lawrence 1), Chinook 2 (Ethan Bell 1, Toby Niederegger 1); Team Fouls - Harlem 18, Chinook 16; Fouled Out - Chinook (Toby Niederegger), Harlem (Tyler Cichosz); Technical Fouls - Harlem Player.
Harlem 74 Glasgow 44
Glasgow 13 11 9 11 - 44
Harlem 11 29 8 26 - 74
Glasgow - Kobe Sibley 2 0-0 4, Jace Nickels 0 1-2 1, Alec Boland 2 0-0 5, Trevor Klind 1 0-1 2, Jaysen Turner 1 0-0 2, Tim Wageman 2 0-2 4, Vincent Chappell 0 0-0 0, Saul Hansen 0 0-0 0, Bergen Miller 1 0-0 2, Keegan Keigan Skolrud 8 8-12 24, Hunter Collinsworth 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 17 9-17 44.
Harlem - Brad Cichosz 10 1-1 27, Tyler Cichosz 2 1-1 5, RJ Ramone 2 1-1 6, Daniel Lawrence 9 0-0 25, Truth Brockie 0 0-0 0, Trent Main 3 0-0 6, Jeiton Long Fox 0 0-0 0, Cassius Johnson 1 0-0 2, Teagan LeValdo 1 0-0 3, Amari Stanley 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 28 3-3 74.
Three Point Field Goals - Glasgow 1 (Alec Boland 1), Harlem 15 (Daniel Lawrence 7, Brad Cichosz 6, RJ Ramone 1, Teagan LeValdo 1); Team Fouls - Glasgow 0, Harlem 14; Fouled Out - None.
Hays/Lodge Pole 84 Turner 54
Turner 14 16 12 12 - 54
Hays/L.P. 26 20 24 14 - 84
Turner - Shay Humphreys 0 0-0 0, Austin Welsh 6 16-23 29, Jack Harmon 0 0-0 0, Shane Kimmel 7 4-10 18, Charlie Calvert 1 0-3 2, Trent Billmayer 0 0-0 0, Ryan Doyle 1 0-2 3, Trevor Kimmel 1 0-0 2. Team Totals 16 20-38 54.
Hays/L.P. - Siris Grandchamp 1 0-0 2, Deshon Shambo 6 0-0 14, Wyman Bringing Good 6 0-0 14, Tyshawn Shambo 11 3-7 26, William HasTheEagle 2 0-0 5, Daniel Henry 2 1-2 6, Estevan Granados 3 0-0 6, Ethan Werk 2 0-0 4, Brandon Castillo 0 0-0 0, Lane Kirkaldie 0 0-0 0, Jarren Bracelet 1 0-0 2Isaiah Denny 0 0-0 0, Davonte Sullivan 2 0-0 5, Cash Messerly 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 36 4-9 84.
Three Point Field Goals - Turner 2 (Austin Welsh 1, Trevor Kimmel 1), Hays/L.P. 8 (Wyman Bringing Good 2, Deshon Shambo 2); Team Fouls - Turner 9, Hays/L.P. 28; Fouled Out - None.
Chinook 67 Turner 24
Chinook 18 32 7 10 - 67
Turner 8 2 10 4 - 24
Chinook - Levi Jensen 2 0-0 4, Ethan Bell 6 1-2 14, Hunter Neibauer 2 0-2 4, Damon Hannum 2 0-0 4, Braden Eoff 1 0-0 2, Benton Elliot 3 0-0 8, Toby Niederegger 4 0-0 8, Reese Elliot 5 0-2 10, Ethan MacLeod 1 0-0 2, Oskar Pula 4 1-3 9, Hunter Molyneaux 0 0-0 0, Braxton Inman 1 0-2 2. Team Totals 31 2-11 67.
Turner - Shay Humphreys 0 0-0 0, Austin Welsh 4 1-3 11, Jack Harmon 3 0-0 7, Shane Kimmel 3 0-0 6, Charlie Calvert 0 0-0 0, Trent Billmayer 0 0-0 0, Ryan Doyle 0 0-0 0, Trevor Kimmel 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 10 1-3 24.
Three Point Field Goals - Chinook 3 (Benton Elliot 2, Ethan Bell 1), Turner 3 (Austin Welsh 2, Jack Harmon 1); Team Fouls - Chinook 8, Turner 12; Fouled Out - Turner (Shane Kimmel).
Chester/J-I 52 Hays/L.P 44
Hays/L.P. 0 0 0 0 - 44
Chester/J-I 0 0 0 0 - 52
Hays/L.P. - Siris Grandchamp 0 0-0 0, Deshon Shambo 0 0-0 0, Wyman Bringing Good 0 0-0 0, Tyshawn Shambo 0 0-0 0, Estevan Granados 0 0-0 0, Ethan Werk 0 0-0 0, Brandon Castillo 0 0-0 0, Lane Kirkaldie 0 0-0 0, Isaiah Denny 0 0-0 0, Davonte Sullivan 0 0-0 0, Cash Messerly 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 0 0-0 0.
Chester/J-I - Lane Fischer 0 0-0 0, Andrew Woods 0 0-0 0, Kyle Harmon 0 0-0 0, Spencer Richter 0 0-0 0, Bryce Kammerzell 0 0-0 0, Blake Harmon 0 0-0 0, Kealy Haaland 0 0-0 0, Caden Woods 0 0-0 0. Team Totals 0 0-0 0.
Three Point Field Goals - Hays/L.P. 0 (0), Chester/J-I 0 (0); Team Fouls - Hays/L.P. 0, Chester/J-I 0; Fouled Out - None.
