Superconference opponents met in Winfield Thursday night, with the WACO girls and WMU boys earning the split.
In a pair of games heard on the KCII3 Stream, WACO took the girls’ contest 58-37 thanks to a big first quarter. After the Wolves opened up the scoring, the Warriors closed the frame on a 20-0 run. WMU was able to settle in, but still headed to the break down 22. After some early foul trouble, Madisen Kellogg returned and had 16 on the night which was complemented by nine from Suttyn Schlee. It wasn’t enough, however, against a WACO squad that saw eight different players record points. Emma Wagler set the pace with 18, causing fits for a Wolves defense underneath. Ella Huisenga added ten, all of them in the first half. The Warriors were held to just 12 in the third quarter and outscored in the fourth, but the damage had been done in the first half as they cruised to their seventh win of the season.
A highly anticipated boys matchup followed, with Winfield-Mt. Union surviving 64-56 for the split. Defense prevailed early as it had in the first matchup between these two teams. The Wolves held WACO to just 12 first-half points, but only led by ten in the locker room. Cam Buffington went off for 10 of his game-high 23 in the third quarter, not to be outdone by Gabe Hemsworth, who notched nine of his 12 in the frame. Depsite trailing by 20 in the fourth quarter, WACO stormed back, getting three field goals each from Chase Waterhouse, Hunter Hughes, and Colton Leichty. Cutting the deficit to as little as six, WMU would need to rely on free throws to preserve the victory. An area of concern in games past was no problem Thursday night, as the Wolves hit 11 of 15 from the strip in the last quarter to stay perfect in the Superconference.
WACO is back at home tonight with a doubleheader against Hillcrest Academy. Winfield, meanwhile, welcomes Columbus for Senior Night. The Wolves and Wildcats can be heard tonight on the KCII3 Stream, with pregame coverage beginning at 5:30, girls’ tip at 6, and the boys to follow.