Minneapolis boys rang in 2018 with a league victory at home versus Southeast of Saline. The Lions opened the game on a 10-0 run and kept the lead all the way to the final buzzer, winning 42-38.
Defense led the charge early for the Lions. Minneapolis held the Trojans scoreless for the first 6:50 of the contest before Sophomore Seth Eklund hit a 3-pointer to get Southeast on the board. The Lions finished the first period with a nine point lead, 14-5.
Southeast’s leading scorers, Senior Hunter White and Junior Nick Montgomery, sat for the first quarter. Both started the second quarter and they led a charge for the Trojans. The duo scored 10 of the team’s 12 points in the second, while the Trojans forced 11 Minneapolis turnovers in the period. However, the Lions held on to a three point lead at the break, 20-17.
Both teams could not get much going offensively in the third quarter. Each finished with eight points in the period and the Lions still led by three, 28-25.
Minneapolis jumped out on a 7-2 run to begin the fourth to regain a 10-point lead, 37-27. Eklund would hit two 3-pointers that helped close the gap to three with just over two minutes left to go. The Lions would answer with a three from Freshman Trent Moeckel to bring it back to a six point advantage for Minneapolis, who close the game at the free throw line.
Senior TreVaughn Thomas led the way with 11 points. Junior Kaden McCullick dropped nine, while Moeckel had 8.
Southeast were led by 10 from White, nine from Eklund and eight by Montgomery.
Minneapolis advances to 3-1 in NCAA league play, and 3-4 overall. The Lions will face Clay Center on the road on Tuesday in a non-league match.
Lions Capture First League Win
Minneapolis girls cruised to a 52-26 victory at home against Southeast of Saline to capture their first win in league play this season.
The Lions’ full-court pressure forced 17 first half turnovers from the Trojans to propel Minneapolis to a 27-12 lead at the half.
Southeast of Saline opened the second half on a 6-0 run from Junior Molly Chitty to cut the Lions lead down to nine, 27-18. Senior Faythe Korinek answered for Minneapolis scoring seven of her game-high 19 points in the third to extend the lead to 18, 38-20, after three.
Eight Minneapolis players scored in the contest, with Korinek leading the way. Sophomore Zoie Shupe dropped 10, Junior Caroline Giles had five, while Senior Courtney Walker and Juniors Karisma Vignery and Ashley Rietbrock each had four points.
Chitty scored 14 points for the Trojans. Sophomore Madison Fear had seven.
Minneapolis moves to 2-5 overall and 1-3 in league play.
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