The Paton-Churdan Rockets split Rolling Valley basketball games against Adair-Casey in Adair Monday night. The girls lost to the Bombers 69-54; the boys won 71-55.
In the girls game, the Bombers held Rocket lead scorer Carleigh Paup to only four points in the first half while their own big shooter, Miranda Plowman, scored 11 points. The Bombers scored first and built their lead steadily, with a 13-8 lead after one quarter, a 32-20 lead at the half, and a 48-34 lead after three quarters. The Bombers put up eight unanswered points at the top of the fourth quarter to stretch their lead to 20 points, 54-34. There was a flurry of scoring in the last minute of play, with the Rockets scoring seven points and the Bombers scoring another four.
Despite the frustrating first half, Paup scored 29 points for the game, with nine of them from the free throw line, where she was 9 for 11 shooting. Her outside shooting was hot as she made four 3-point shots, which is more than usual for her.
Casey Lane scored nine points and was three of four at the free throw line. Gracie Giesler scored eight points including two for two at the free throw line. Sydney Koch scored six points – a 3-pointer in each half, and Reilly Niles scored two points.
The Rockets were called for many fouls. Koch, Lane and Niles all fouled out. The Rockets had only seven players suited for the game. Exchange student Nohea Missweit and Robin Consier both got considerably more playing time than usual.
The girls are now 9-6 in the Rolling Valley Activities Conference.
Junior Noah Juergensen led the boys to a 71-55 win. Juergensen scored 24 points, with seniors Jake Carey and Dylan Burgart and freshman Joe Towers contributing 14 points each. Senior Colton Fitzpatrick scored five points.
The teams played even-up ball the first half. Score was 18-17 with the Rockets ahead after one quarter, but the Bombers held a four point lead at halftime, 37-33.
But, the Bombers crashed in the third quarter, scoring no points as the Rockets put up 18 unanswered points. The four point lead had turned into a 14 point deficit by the time the third quarter ended. A-C scored 17 points, but the Rockets scored 20. Final score was 71-54 for the visiting Rockets.
A-C’s Emitt Wheatley was right behind Juergensen in scoring with 23 points, but he didn’t have three teammates scoring in double figures to back him up.
Juergensen was four of six at the free throw line, all in the second half, with the rest of his 24 points being as 2-point shots. Carey was also four of six at the line. Towers was three of three and Burgart was four of five at the line. As a team, the Rockets were 75 percent at the free throw line. Towers made three 3-pointers and Fitzpatrick made one.
The Rockets are now 12-3 in the Rolling Valley Activities Conference. They don’t have a Tuesday night game this week; their next game is Friday night on the road against Glidden-Ralston.
