The Sacred Heart Knights hosted the Hesston Swathers to kick off the 2018-19 basketball season, falling to the visitors in the opening night double header.
In girls action, it was a slow paced first quarter of action with Hesston taking an early 10-5 lead. Turnovers were crucial in the second quarter for the Knights, as the game started to slip away trailing at the halftime break 29-19.
Down but not out, the Lady Knights fought their way back, outscoring the Lady Swathers 12-7 in the third quarter, dwindling their deficit down to 36-31 after three quarters. Two big three’s by Junior Amber Palen and another triple from Ally Cochran tied the game up at 38 all with 4:56 left to play, but Hesston would outscore Sacred Heart down the stretch 10-2 to close out the victory by a final of 48-40.
Cochran lead the Knights with 12 points while Palen chipped in nine. Hesston was lead by Junior Elise Kaiser’s 22 points.
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In the boys game, it was another comeback story not meant for a happy ending with the Knights falling to the Swathers 59-55.
Sacred Heart would take the early lead out of the gate 6-5, but were outscored the final 4:20 of the first quarter 13-4 with Hesston leading at the end of one 18-10. Foul trouble and turnovers were the story for both teams in the second period, with Hesston maintaining a 29-22 halftime lead.
The Swathers built their lead to as many as 16 points in quarter three, leading 48-32, but a gritty, determined Knights squad continued to fight. Using a 14-3 run to start the fourth quarter, Sacred Heart would get it back withing three points at 54-51 with 1:34 left to go, but the comeback was not to be had on this night, with Hesston closing it out from the foul line and securing a 59-55 victory.
Senior Charlie Skidmore lead the way for the Knights with 16 points (12 in the 2nd half) Trace Leners added 15 points. Hesston’s two headed monster of Max Arnold and Ben Bollinger each had 11 points in the Swathers victory.
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