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Wolves are tough enough to fend off talented Alma
McCOOK, Neb. —Any tears were filled with a little more joy and satisfaction following Saturday’s RPAC tournament title game.
“Really, if we don’t leave practices in tears, we haven’t worked hard enough,” Maywood-Hayes Center junior Kiley Hejtmanek said. “But this, this was a little tougher than that.”
The Wolves had ultimate respect for East No. 1 Alma (14-3 record) entering Saturday’s showdown at McCook’s Graff Event Center.
Alma guard Addison Neal is a cousin of Wauneta-Palisade sisters Alexa and Haylee Sandman. The Wolves know all about that dynamic family duo.
“She’s very fast and good,” coach Kim Stengel said about Neal. “So is the (Addison) Seibels girl and their whole team is very good.”
Yet these Wolves keep finding new stars.
Take sophomore guard Ellie Broz for example.
With the clock ticking to zero and Alma still within two baskets at 35-29, Broz never even saw her next shot.
Yet swish! The three-pointer went through perfectly while teammates celebrated a now 38-29 advantage with just eight minutes remaining.
“No, it wasn’t my best shot,” Broz admitted. “I didn’t even really see it after I let it go.”
“It’s great to see all these other girls hit shots,” Hejtmanek added. “That’s the thing about this team. We are always working to get better.”
The Wolves kept getting better and better throughout Saturday’s tussle.
When the clock finally fit zero, M-HC had its biggest lead all game and a 49-34 victory.
“Of course, it’s great, I mean it’s a repeat,” Hejtmanek said as she scored a game-high 14 points. “I just love this team. I don’t know what I would do without these other juniors.”
Juniors Olivia Hansen and Alexis Wood looked like sisters while chatting about this latest great Wolves win.
Wood scrapped for every basketball to continue her status as the team’s best rebounder.
Hansen has delivered more offense in other games like the Cattle Trail final.
She still delivered 10 points to show why she’s picked up the offense for previous leader Jaycee Widener, who graduated in May.
Plus there’s senior Stevie Handsaker, perhaps as clutch as any great player on this team.
Handsaker totaled nine points and nine rebounds — but of course, was not satisfied with her overall performance.
“There were some shots I could have hit,” she said.
“She did a great job of leading the team as the one senior,” coach Kim Stengel confirmed.
The Wolves will keep pushing right into tonight. Their RPAC title will be put behind when they take on neighbor Medicine Valley in Curtis.
The Raiders are a young, improving team who would love nothing more than shock these champs.
M-HC knows there’s still plenty of work to returning into state tournament play.
The Wolves would love to repeat that just like their RPAC volleyball and now basketball titles.
“We have an amazing team,” Hejtmanek concluded. “I think we’ll be punching our ticket to state.”
WOLVES (19-1) — Kiley Hejtmanek 14 points, Olivia Hansen 10, Stevie Handsaker 9, Ellie Broz 8, Aubrey Broz 4, Alexis Wood 2, Reagan Stengel 2. Three-pointers: Hansen, Handsaker, Ellie Broz. Rebound leaders: Handsaker 9, Wood 8, Hansen 6. Assists: Hansen 3, Hejtmanek 3. Steals: Hansen 6, Hansaker 4, Hejtmanek 3. Blocked shot: Ellie Broz. CARDINALS (14-3) — Addison Siebels led Alma with 13 points and senior Carlie Stuhmer added eight.