The Ell-Saline Cardinals would travel to Salina to finish up the Tri-County Classic at Mabee Arena at Kansas Wesleyan University against Bennington Saturday afternoon. The lady Cardinals would drop a close one 45-42 and the boys would fall 57-28.

GIRLS : Bennington 45, Ell-Saline 42

The lady Cardinals were looking to move to 3-1 on the young season but would drop a heartbreaker to Bennington on Saturday in Salina.

Ell-Saline would lead after the 1st quarter 11-7 behind some good free throw shooting by Brin Hecker. The lead wouldn’t last long as Bennington would put up 17 points in the 2nd and go into halftime leading 34-18.

The 3rd quarter the lady Cardinals struggled to make shots only scoring 8 points in the quarter and would trail going into the 4th 35-26.

Ell-Saline would try to mount a comeback in the 4th but would come up just short as the game would end with Bennington winning 45-42.

Avery Richards of Ell-Saline would lead all scorers in the matchup with 15. Other players scoring in the game include Brin Hecker (8), Bailey Schneider (7), Kaela Wilson (5), Taylor Hardesty (3), Isabelle Porter (2), Gabby Norris and Ally Richards (1).

Scoring for Bennington would include Kolbie Bartlett (14), Rory Miles (13), Jordan Bartlett (6), Ava Lawson (5), Taleigh Watson (4), Tambryn Watson (2) and Khloe Dossett (1)

Ell-Saline would drop to 2-2 on the season with the loss and will look to bounce back against Ellinwood next Tuesday. Bennington would move to 3-1 on the season and will play Lakeside (Downs) next Tuesday.

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game is Avery Richards.

H&R Block of the Game belongs to Kaela Wilson.

Box Score

Bennington – 7 – 17 – 11 – 10 / 45

Ell-Saline – 11 – 7 – 8 – 16 / 42

BOYS – Bennington 57, Ell-Saline

The Ell-Saline Cardinals would struggle offensively through the whole game and Bennington would cruise to a 57-28 victory Saturday afternoon.

The Cardinals would get off to a slow start and would trail after the 1st quarter 20-7. The scoring would just keep coming in the 2nd for Bennington and would take a 38-12 score into halftime.

The 3rd quarter was more of the same for Ell-Saline as they would only score 4 points in the quarter and were trailing 55-16 going into the 4th stanza.

The Cardinals would only give up 2 points the 4th but only put up 12 points of their own and would fall to Bennington with a final score of 57-28.

Scoring for Ell-Saline on the night includes Kas Kramer (9), Garrison Zerger (8), Marshall Johnson (5), Brogan Rowley (4) and Carter Hiel (2).

Bennington would 3 guys in double digits including a game high 20 points from Eli Lawson. Other Bulldogs other points includes Mister Smith (15), Talan Pickering (10), Kian Wilson (5), Payge Rodenbeek (4) and Sean Garrett (3).

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game was Kas Kramer.

H&R Block of the Game is Brogan Rowley.

Bennington wins the Tri-County Classic and moves to 4-0 on the season and will look to stay undefeated next Tuesday against Lakeside (Downs). Ell-Saline drops to 3-1 and will try to get back in the win column next Tuesday against Ellinwood.

Box Score

Bennington – 20 – 18 – 17 – 2 / 57

Ell-Saline – 7 – 5 – 4 – 12 / 28