RPAC West Saturday recaps: Top seeds trounce

Duncan Rector (left) won’t be distracted as he drives to the basket for Wauneta-Palisade and past Maxwell’s Dawson Heinzen (23) during their RPAC tournament first-round game at Trenton Saturday afternoon.

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

TRENTON, Neb. — A rotation of racehorses perfectly describes what coach Dave Kuhlen unleashed Saturday afternoon.

The Wauneta-Palisade Broncos literally attacked Maxwell in waves with Kuhlen unleashing three, four or even five fresh “horses” at various times.

The result was relentless pressure and a 24-0 run which ended any RPAC upset drama quickly.

West No. 3 Wauneta-Palisade raced to a 64-24 triumph and tonight’s quarterfinal showdown with No. 2 Dundy-County Stratton.

The Broncos (9-6 record) and Tigers (13-2) collide at 7:45 p.m. in Maxwell.

Sophomore Ben Anderjaska’s eight-point flurry awoke Wauneta-Palisade after a sluggish start.

Anderjaska worked inside for an offensive putback and then buried back-to-back “three balls, baby!”.

Ironically, he didn’t have to score another point as literally everyBronco hit shots.

Lone senior Cash Yearous contributed to the 24-0 surge along with juniors Caid Doetker, Duncan Rector, Dalton Harchelroad and Joel Maris among others.

Anderjaska’s classmates Ty Duvel, Austin Rozelle and Tucker Roos all broke into the scoring column.

Even freshman Braxton McKinney delivered some late baskets in one of the Broncos’ most dominating wins.

They’ll get their first shot this season at a DC-S team that dominated last year’s RPAC tournament.

Nothing changed later on Saturday during the Tigers’ 84-38 win over Hitchcock County.

An awesome 31-point second quarter turned an 18-10 lead into 49-15 by intermission.

Senior Phalen Sanford hit eight of 11 shots for 19 Tiger-high points.

Guillermo Diaz, another senior, joined junior Jacob Gemborys in adding 11 points each as they shot nine for 12 from the floor.

Sophomore Michael Frederick was even better at 80 percent (four for five) and another 10 points.

Overall, the Tigers finished 55 percent from two-point range.

Sophomore Lane Shillington (eight points), freshman Serbando Diaz (seven) and senior Nate Auffet (four) also led an attack featuring 12 Tiger scorers.

Sophomore Darian Hutto’s 15 points paced 3-12 Hitchcock County while freshman Dionte Perkins put in 11.

Junior Mason Bright followed with four points.

The Falcons drop into RPAC consolation play as does Maywood-Hayes Center following Saturday’s 61-32 loss to Wallace.

MH-C (5-11 record) stayed within range through a high-scoring 21-14 first quarter.

Yet the Wolves only hit 24 percent of their two-pointers (13 for 54).

Junior Ethan Broker’s seven points paced their attack just ahead of six each from seniors Paul White, Von Fritsche and sophomore Wacey Flack.

Flack pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.

Senior Jared Sullivan’s 14 points lead Wallace into tonight’s RPAC quarterfinal vs. undefeated Paxton.