Photo courtesy Cherokee Nalley
Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022
ALTOONA-MIDWAY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
BUFFALO – The Altoona-Midway High School boys’ basketball team capped off 2022 Homecoming festivities with a solid 58-33 victory over Pleasanton, much to the delight of an appreciative crowd Friday night at Milo Peterson Gymnasium.
Pleasanton spoiled hopes of an AMHS sweep on the evening, as the Lady Blu-jays came away with a 38-25 triumph over the Lady Jets in the opening contest.
Miss Alyssa Relph was crowned Altoona-Midway’s Winter Homecoming Queen during halftime of the boys’ game, and a tie vote for King resulted in Jackson Ashmore and Zeek Roby sharing that honor.
Members of the Queen’s Court included: Abi Elsesser, Bailey Graham, Ava Hufford, and Kyra O’Connor. Other King candidates were Harley Lopeman, Chase Nalley, and Andy Tiger.
AMHS Boys
A layup by freshman William Stackhouse gave the Jets an 11-9 lead after one period, and from that point on Altoona-Midway never looked back.
AMHS (3-10 overall, 2-3 in TRL) dominated Pleasanton during a 17-2 second quarter, scoring the final 15 points to take a 28-11 lead into halftime.
“We started the game well, we had each player touching the ball. This led to four different players scoring our first 11 points,” noted AMHS head coach Lane Huffman. “We were patient, and we let the game come to us. This is the most efficient we have been in a while, and it continued into the second quarter.
“Our second quarter was huge defensively, allowing just two points,” Huffman added. “We have struggled with communication and anticipation, but the team really tried to fix those two things tonight and did a great job. It starts with Jack (Ashmore) and Dalton (Smith) and works its way down. They lead by example, and everybody started playing great defense.”
The Jets also scored the first five points after intermission, leaving only the final margin in doubt from that point on. AMHS led 40-22 after three quarters and finished off the 58-33 win.
“In the second half we continued to move the ball well, and our long-range shots started falling,” Huffman said. “That is what kind of put the game away. We are very capable at lighting it up from three, so it was nice to see us get into some rhythm jump shots from deep. I think this will continue to happen if we keep all five guys on the court involved.”
Ashmore led the Jets with 20 points while Stackhouse and Andy Tiger each tallied 11. Smith finished with eight points, Jacob Meigs netted five, and Harvey Lopeman chipped in three.
“This was a great way to cap off the homecoming festivities,” Huffman said. “This also ended a six-game losing streak for us. We're headed in the right direction.”
AMHS Girls
The Lady Jets (2-10, 1-3) trailed by only four points midway in the second quarter, but an injury to leading scorer Mariah Stackhouse just as the halftime buzzer sounded dimmed any hopes of a comeback.
Stackhouse suffered an ankle injury just as the half ended. The extent of the injury was not immediately known, but the talented senior did not return to action in the second half.
“Pleasanton is a tough, well-coach squad with a lot of size, but my girls played hard the entire night. We were just unable to generate much offense inside against their bigs,” said AMHS head coach Randy Almond.
“We did much better taking care of the ball and keeping our turnovers down, and we blocked out much better on the boards,” Almond added. “Two freshmen, Emmalynn Pupanek and Autumn Raymond, played almost the entire game.”
Pleasanton led just 7-5 after one period and 11-7 midway in the second stanza, but increased that advantage to 21-9 at the half. The Lady Jets actually outscored the Lady Blu-jays 17-16 over the final two quarters, but PHS walked away with a 38-25 victory.
“Prior to Mariah’s injury, it was good to have the whole team back tonight,” Almond said. “Summer Raymond, coming back from being sick, finished with seven points, and Ava (Hufford) made a three-pointer and finished with a personal high of six points.”
Stackhouse had five first-half points before going out, while Kyra O’Connor finished with three and Pupanek and Autumn Raymond tallied two each.
“I say it every week, but again I am very proud of how the girls played with a lot of heart and battled until the end,” Almond said.