Salina Central ran into another tough opponent on Friday night in Valley Center, as the Hornets defeated the Mustangs in their first doubleheader since the holiday break.
The Mustangs struggled to find an offensive rhythm as they fell 46-36 in the girls’ varsity game. The loss dropped their record to 3-3, and snapped a three-game winning streak dating back to Dec. 13th. Any slow start can be traced back to having a two week break since your last game, but facing the defensive pressure of Valley Center made shaking the rust off even trickier.
Valley Center led 13-3 after the opening quarter and did not look back. Junior center Taylor McDonald nearly tallied a double-double in the first half, showcasing her size and strength. Floor general Avery Davison commanded the game and forward Anna Duncan seemed to always be in two places at once.
The Mustangs trailed 22-16 at halftime and attempted to charge back behind a season-high 11 point performance from junior guard Lexi Guerrero. Guerrero came off the bench, but started the second half and may see her minutes extended if Friday’s production is a sign of things to come.
The night concluded with Valley Center again emerging victorious, 73-52 in the boys’ varsity game. Valley Center entered the night as just one of three remaining undefeated teams in class 5A with Andover Central and Highland Park being the others. The loss sent the Mustangs record to 3-3 while Valley Center remains undefeated at 5-0.
When asked about the challenges presented by Valley Center, Salina Central boys basketball head coach Chris Fear mentioned their desire to make the game “chaotic”.
A mix of live-ball turnovers leading to transition baskets and outside marksmanship from Valley Center, helped create that controlled chaos.
In the midst of a lopsided score, hustle and effort were never lost on the Mustangs, with senior Kamryn Jones leading the team in minutes played while getting to the line a season-high 10 times. Juniors Kaden Snyder and Noah Peck followed suit, drawing fouls and continuing to crash the glass on both ends in the second half.
However, an experienced Hornets roster would never take their foot off the gas. Led in scoring by senior guards Doc Needham and Colby Newton in the first half, seniors Bryson and Austin
Saner would help leave no doubt until the final buzzer with their second half flurry.
Salina Central girls’ and boys’ basketball return to action on Tuesday, Jan. 7th as they host Andover.
