Menu
Broncos, Falcons brought real Trail drama
McCOOK, Neb. — Drama didn’t get any better than Friday night when Wauneta-Palisade and Hitchcock County met again in girls’ Cattle Trail semifinal action.
Most will never forget the Falcons’ last-second win one year earlier on this same Peter & Dolores Graff Event Center floor.
Hitchcock took charge again with a 17-8 second quarter only to see those unbeaten Broncos (4-0) rally with an 18-7 third.
Senior Faith Simpson’s two post baskets appeared to put W-P in control — yet she later saw some free throws slip outside that same rim.
The Falcons weren’t missing this opportunity as Allison Hoyt’s three brought them within two points.
Simpson (27) and Hoyt (23) would engage in a 50-point duel between leaders of these rival schools.
Another late miss at the charity line gave Falcons one more shot, and sophomore Kass Kisker wasn’t passing up this gift.
Kisker got open just enough to wrap up regulation with a game-tying jumper before time expired.
The Falcons probably win if Bronco reserves don’t make a great impact.
“We knew it was going to be a tough matchup with their (Hitchcock’s) speed and quickness,” W-P coach Matt Cox remarked. “We did a very poor job of keeping them off the offensive glass.”
“But Destany Simpson and Reagan Skow came off the bench and did a tremendous job inside,” he added. “They were the difference.”
Plus don’t forget Faith Simpson, who added eight rebounds while Destany grabbed seven.
Faith shook off some late misses and made the difference in overtime.
With Falcon pressure on her heels, she calmly drained a tie-breaking “threeee!” and Wauneta-Palisade wouldn’t trail again.
The Falcons tried their best for another rally, but it was finally a 59-55 Broncos victory.
Teammates Destiny Beacham and Monique Gooden delivered another 19 clutch points. Beacham buried four of her seven shots.
“I was happy about how our girls played in overtime, even though Hitchcock had all the momentum at the end of regulation,” Cox concluded.
Hoyt, Kisker (15 points) and junior Kyleigh Scott (13) led the dangerous Falcon attack.
Kisker battled for nine rebounds, five offensive that matched junior Amanda Horinek’s five.
However, the Falcons (4-2 record) hit only three of 22 from long range and shot just 31 percent overall.
They did recover nicely for a 49-31 win over Decatur Community, Kan., in Saturday’s girls third-place game.
Hitchcock plays next against Medicine Valley on Saturday at Curtis. The Broncos host South Platte Friday evening.