Estherville Iowa — Western Christian went on the road for the first time and got a split of their basketball doubleheader at Estherville Lincoln Central Tuesday night. The Wolfpack girls nearly erased a 10 point deficit before falling 45-43. The boys got their first win of the season 65-52.
The Midgets led at all the breaks in the girls game. They were up 8-6 at the end of the first quarter and in front 25-16 at the half. The lead was 10 points at the end of the third quarter 33-23 before Olivia Granstra hit for 8 of her 13 points in the fourth quarter to pull the Wolfpack whithin two as the game ended.
Jordyn Stokes had a game high 17 for the Midgets. Kaitlyn Tendal hit for a dozen. Granstra led Western with 13 points. Macay Vant Hul was just outside of double figures with 9. The difference in the fourth quarter was free throw shooting as the Midgets went 8-of-11 in the final quarter to keep Western from ever getting the lead.
E-LC improves to 3-1 on the season while Western stands at 2-1. It was the conference opener for both teams.
In the boys game that followed Western opened a 15-9 first quarter lead and was up 27-14 at halftime. By the end of the third it was up to 13 points at 41-28. The Midgets would get as close as four in the final quarter before the Wolfpack put the game away late to win it 65-52.
Adrian Vaughn led the comeback for the Midgets with 10 of his game high 24 points coming in the fourth quarter. At halftime he was sitting on a 4 point night. Also in double figures was Izaak Sander with 15. Western put three players in double figures led by Wyatt Gulker with 18 points off the bench. Dawson Feenstra hit for 11 with Ty Van Essen dropping 10 off the bench.
It was the first win of the season for Western after a pair of non conference losses to open the season. E-LC is 2-1 for the year. It was their conference opener as well.
Western Christian continues their conference schedule on Friday with a stop at Spencer. E-LC will host North Union in a non conference doubleheader on Thursday.
