SATURDAY, Feb. 11, 2023
ALTOONA-MIDWAY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
MORAN – After a four-game home stand, the Altoona-Midway High School basketball teams finally hit the road again, but were the results were not as desired as the host Marmaton Valley Wildcats swept a Three Rivers League doubleheader here Friday night.
Marmaton Valley started the varsity twinbill with a 56-10 victory in the girls’ game. In the finale, the Wildcat boys topped the Jets 76-44.
There’s no rest for the weary, as the AMHS squads are slated for three more games in the upcoming week to wrap up the regular season.
Monday night at Milo Peterson Gymnasium, the Jets will play host to Southeast High School in a game originally postponed from Jan. 24. After a road trip to Yates Center on Tuesday, Altoona-Midway will close out regular-season play Friday, Feb. 17, hosting Jawhawk-Linn High School for Parent’s Night.
AMHS Boys
Altoona-Midway (7-10) was competitive for the first six minutes of the game, after which the Wildcats took over with some hot shooting and a full court press that completely took the Jets out of their game.
Once again we were very, very cold from 3-point range managing only 10 percent (2-for-20),” noted AMHS head coach Dave Vance. “When we did manage to break the press and get the ball inside, we hit 50 percent of those shots.
“Their pressure defense caused us to commit 19 turnovers,” Vance added. “The boys did make some nice assists when they did beat the press – we had a total of 11 assists – but that turnover-assist ration needs to be reversed.”
Marmaton Valley led just 16-10 at the quarter, but stretched its advantage to 33-19 at halftime and 56-33 after three periods. The Wildcats continued to pressure in the final period, winning the stanza 20-11 to build the final margin. MVHS starters accounted for 16 of the team’s 20 points in the fourth quarter.
“Their pressure was relentless for the full four quarters. It really suffocated our offense,” Vance said. “Marmaton Valley had a well-balanced attack and were hitting on all cylinders tonight.”
Andy Tiger scored 12 points and Harley Lopeman finished with 10 to lead the Jets offense. William Stackhouse and Kieran Foster managed seven points apiece, while Jacob Meigs and Blaine Collins rounded out the scoring with four points each.
Marmaton Valley placed four players in double figures. Drake led the way with 18, Lord tallied 16, Lawson 13, and Smith netted 12.
The Jets go from the frying pan into the fire in facing Southeast on Monday evening, as Southeast defeated Marmaton Valley 76-31 earlier this season.
AMHS Girls
When you only have a roster of six players to begin with, adding foul trouble or injuries to that mix makes the task nearly insurmountable.
Unfortunately, the Lady Jets have had all of those struggles in recent games, including Friday, which resulted in a lopsided 56-10 victory for Marmaton Valley.
“We immediately got into foul trouble in the first quarter, and Ava Hufford hurt the same arm that had been hurt earlier in the season. Also, Chantal (Morales) hurt her ankle in the second half of the game and never went back in,” said AMHS head coach Jessica Porter. “To make matters worse, Summer (Raymond) wasn’t feeling good last night. Emmalynn’s (Pupanek) thumb is still hurt too, but at the very end of the game she hit a three-pointer, which she had never done before in a game.
“Under all the circumstances, the girls did the best they could,” Porter said.
AMHS (3-14) trailed 20-0 after the first eight minutes and 35-3 at halftime. The score was 49-7 after three periods, and Pupanek’s trey made the final 56-10.
Raymond led the Lady Jets with five points, while Hufford hit two free throws to round out the scoring.
Marmaton Valley saw 10 different players reach the scoring column, led by Janae Granere with 17 points and Petyon Scharff with 10.