RICHMOND – Definitely time for a Christmas break.
Playing their sixth game in 11 days, the Altoona-Midway High School basketball teams came up short against the Central Heights Vikings in a varsity doubleheader here Friday.
Central Heights won the Three Rivers League boys’ game 63-26 over AMHS, while the Lady Vikings posted a 35-9 TRL victory.
Both Altoona-Midway squads will carry 1-7 overall and 0-2 conference records into a much-needed semester break.
AMHS will resume TRL action on Tuesday, Jan. 6, when the Jets travel to Chetopa. Altoona-Midway will have its next home game Friday, Jan. 9, when Southern Coffey County invades Milo Peterson Gym.
AMHS BOYS
Central Heights, a 2A school, was never really threatened as they coasted to a 63-26 victory in the boys’ game.
The Vikings led 9-1 at the quarter, 26-12 at halftime, and exploded for a 25-3 third-quarter advantage to build a 51-15 bulge.
“Throw out the first and third quarters, and you would have a decent ball game – we would have only been down six,” said AMHS head coach Dave Vance. “But Central Heights showed up in the first and third quarters as well, and we did not.
“Giving Central Heights two and three shots at the basket every time down does not help your odds of winning the game.”
Kage Beck led the Jets with 10 points, while Taj Chism drained three treys in the final period to finish with nine. Chance Mustain netted four and Chance Carter three (on a half-court buzzer-beater to close out the third) to round out the scoring for AMHS.
Chism and Carter each grabbed six rebounds while Beck had five.
King had four three-pointers on his way to a game-high 16 points for Central Heights. He was joined in double figures by Christjohn, who had 10.
Central Heights 3-3 overall and 2-0 in the Three Rivers League, won its third straight game.
AMHS GIRLS
Being unable to find the bottom of the basket continues to be a problem for the Altoona-Midway girls’ squad, as they fell to the Lady Vikings 35-9 in TRL action.
Apart from their 28-24 tournament victory over Southern Coffey County last week, the Lady Jets’ high-point production has been the 18 recorded in an opening night loss to Hartford.
Friday night, Central Heights went up 9-3 after one period, 26-3 at halftime, and led 35-5 entering the final stanza, when AMHS netted the final four points of the game.
“The girls continue to play good defense, and they continue to hustle,” said Lady Jets head coach Jessica Porter. “We just have to find a way to get more points on the board.”
Mika Parsons led AMHS with four points, while Kayleigh Clines netted three and Jasa Pankaskie two.
Central Heights (3-3 overall, 2-0 in league) enjoyed a balanced attack led by Jumet with 10, Cubin with nine and Kimball with seven.