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COLBY, KS – In a pulsating 1A Division II State Quarterfinal, the Axtell Eagles (24-1) triumphed over the Dighton Hornets (21-4) with a hard-fought 57-51 victory at the Colby Event Center on Friday. The late-night matchup, tipping off at 8:00 p.m., delivered a captivating display of high school basketball.
The game was a seesaw battle, featuring 11 ties and 11 lead changes, highlighting the evenly matched contest. Axtell’s balanced attack and strong rebounding proved to be the difference-makers. Brandon Schmelzle led the Eagles with 15 points and 7 rebounds, while Logan Sandmann contributed 11 points and 7 rebounds.
Axtell’s dominance in the paint, outscoring Dighton 30-24, and their ability to capitalize on second-chance opportunities, scoring 14 second-chance points, were crucial factors in their victory. Colin Shaughnessy and Landon Schmitz both added 9 and 10 points respectively.
Dighton’s Daniel Cramer delivered a stellar performance, scoring 23 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Axtell’s collective effort. Boston Shimer and George VonLeonrod each added 8 points. Payton Redburn also contributed 5 points.
The game was tightly contested throughout, with neither team able to establish a significant lead until late in the fourth quarter. Axtell’s largest lead was 8 points with 52 seconds remaining in the game. Dighton briefly held a four-point lead in the third quarter.
Key statistics for Axtell included a 44.4% field goal percentage and a 61.9% free-throw percentage. Axtell out rebounded Dighton 25 to 14.
The Axtell Eagles are set to battle the undefeated Cunningham Wildcats (25-0) for the 1A Division II State Championship title this Saturday. The highly anticipated matchup will tip off at 6:15 PM at the Colby Events Center, with live coverage available on 95.5 KNDY-FM.
