The Keota Eagles scored a big-time victory in boys’ basketball Tuesday night, knocking off state-ranked North Mahaska 71-61. Keota stretched a one-point lead at the end of the first quarter into a 29-25 advantage at halftime against the number-10 team in Class 1A, and a huge 25-point final period allowed the Eagles to pull away.

Chase Haifley and Billie Kindred came up big for Keota in a big game. The junior Haifley scored a career-high 27 points on 12 of 25 shooting while also picking up six assists and five steals, while the senior Kindred had a doubled-double with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Jace Chalupa also had a strong night with eight points, 15 rebounds and three assists, while sophomore Brennan McGuire added eight points off the bench as the Eagles improve to 9-1 in the South Iowa Cedar League and 11-2 overall.

The Keota girls would not get the same result, trailing 42-11 at halftime and falling 66-26 to second-ranked North Mahaska. Sophomore Emily Conger scored a team-high eight points as the Eagles drop to 5-9, including a 3-7 record in conference play. Both Keota teams play again tonight against Moulton-Udell.