pictured is Kolt Becker from 1-31-25, image courtesy of Brad Anderson
Some streaks continued while others ended in Abilene’s visit to Clay Center Friday night. Clay Center swept Abilene in basketball in the first time in over a decade. The tough road continues for AHS as they travel to Rock Creek on Tuesday.
CLAY CENTER 58 ABILENE COWGIRLS 25
CLAY CENTER: The #9 Clay Center Lady Tigers pulled away in their 33 point victory over Abilene Friday night. It was Clay Center’s fifth straight victory overall to improve to 12-3, 8-1 on the season. It was the Lady Tiger’s 13th straight win over the Cowgirls dating back to 2019.
Friday night, Clay Center got a huge performance from 6’ Senior, Raegan McDonald. She was in foul trouble in the first half and was held to 4 points through the first two quarters. McDonald was able to stay on the floor in the second half and she took over the game. She poured in 16 of her game-high 20 points in the final two quarters which allowed Clay Center to pull away. There was a running clock for the final 4:38 of the game. Sophomore, Lilly Edwards also reached double-figures for the Lady Tigers with 14 points.
Abilene fell to 3-11, 2-5 with the loss. They were led by Timber Taylor, Tessa Herrman and Kit Barbierri, who all finished with 6 points. The tough road continues for Abilene as they travel to Rock Creek on Tuesday. The Cowgirls will then have played the top three teams in the league consecutively.
#𝟵 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 17 26 39 58 (12-3, 8-1)
𝗔𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘄𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 7 16 20 25 (3-11, 2-5)
𝗔𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴: Timber Taylor 6, Tessa Herrman 6, Kit Barbierri 6, Renatta Heintz 2, Layla Pickering 2, Brinley Zook 2, Kailee Crane 1
𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿: Raegann McDonald 20, Lily Edwards 14, Janae Crimmins 9, Ayla Johnson 7, Miley McGee 6, Alana Liby 2
𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲
Sophomore – Timber Taylor 6
Sophomore – Kit Barbierri 6
CLAY CENTER 56 ABILENE COWBOYS 43
CLAY CENTER: The Clay Center Tigers snapped a 32 game losing streak to the Abilene Cowboys Friday night. It was their first win over Abilene since February 19, 2010. That season Clay Center swept Abilene during the regular season but the Cowboys defeated the Tigers 57-54 at Topeka Hayden in Sub-State on March 10, 2010 and had not lost since, until Friday night.
Friday night, Clay Center used a 10-0 first quarter run to take a 10-5 lead and they wouldn’t trail the rest of the night. The Tigers outscored Abilene 11-4 in the second quarter and led 25-14 at halftime. Abilene got the deficit down to 6 with 2:50 to play in the 3rd quarter but Clay Center Senior, Weston Hammond sank a three-pointer around the 2 minute mark that sparked a 10-1 run to end the quarter. Clay Center led 42-27 after three quarters and Abilene would get no closer than 9 the rest of the night.
In the loss, Abilene was held to a season low 43 points. The Cowboys also had no players in double-figures for the first time this season. Clay Center’s Hammond was held to 2 points in the Tigers 61-53 loss at Abilene on December 17. Friday night, he resembled the player he had been on all season as he finished with a game-high 16 points. The Tigers also got 12 points off the bench from Senior, Cole Pladson, who was unable to play in the first meeting because of injury.
Clay Center improved to 11-4, 6-3 with the win, while Abilene fell to 10-4, 5-2 with the loss. The Cowboys were led by Weston Rock, Taygen Funston and Kolt Becker, who all finished with 9 points. The tough road continues for Abilene as they will travel to #3 Rock Creek on Tuesday. It will be the first meeting this season between the two schools.
𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 14 25 42 56 (11-4, 6-3)
#𝟵 𝗔𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲 10 14 27 43 (10-4, 5-2)
𝗔𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲: Weston Rock 9, Kolt Becker 9, Taygen Funston 9, Ian Crump 7, Tyler Holloway 6, Levi Evans 3
𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿: Weston Hammond 16, Cole Pladson 12, Owen Craig 9, Jace Weller 7, Isaac Berggren 5, Eisaac Girton 5, Anthony Davies 2
𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 &𝗮𝗺𝗽; 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲
Senior, Weston Rock 9 points
Junior, Taygen Funston 9 points
Freshman, Kolt Becker 9 points
