LA JUNTA, Colo. – The second-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team won the South Sub-region with a perfect 10-0 conference mark in knocking down 14 3-pointers with a 92-79 win over Otero Junior College Friday night.

                WNCC finished the regular season with a 26-1 record and a 24-game winning streak. WNCC won the South sub-region and will get a bye into the Region IX Tournament that will be held March 5-7 in either Casper or Gillette. Otero drops to 8-2 in conference and 20-5 overall. Otero, as the number 2 seed in the south, will face the No. 8 seed in the North in a first-round playoff game next weekend.

                Both teams shot well in the game. WNCC finished with 41 percent shooting and were 38 percent from beyond the arc, making 14 treys. Taylor Joplin led the way with four treys, followed by three 3-pointers each from Tishara Morehouse and Yuliyana Valcheva. R’Manie Pulling and Maddy Campbell each had two.

                Otero shot 42 percent for the game and 46 percent from beyond the arc, making 11 treys.

                The difference in the game was free throws where WNCC made 20 of 32 and Otero 14 of 18.

                WNCC held a slim 25-17 lead after one quarter and took a 44-37 into halftime.

                The third quarter saw the Cougars hold a slim 61-57 lead. It was the fourth quarter that saw WNCC open up the game, scoring 31 points. WNCC opened the slim 4-point lead after three to 16 points, 76-60 on 3-pointers by Joplin, Morehouse and Valcheva. WNCC never let Otero to get within single digits the rest of the game as they earned the 92-79 win.

                WNCC had four players in double figures. Joplin led the Cougars with 22 points with four treys, 4-of-4 from the free throw line along with seven rebounds.

                Morehouse tallied 20 points with three treys. Morehouse also had nine rebounds and six assists.

                Valcheva tallied 19 points with two 3-pointers and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line.

                Lidsey Mahoukou also had double digits with 10 points.

                Otero had three in double figures, led by Drea Nelson with 25 points and seven 3-pointers.

 

WNCC                   25 19 17 31 – 92

Otero                    18 19 20 22 – 72

WNCC

Tishara Morehouse 20, Yuliyana Valcheva 19, R’Manie Pulling 8, Taylor Joplin 22, Lidsey Mahoukou 10, Georgia Berry 3, Dezmonea Antwine 3, Maddy Campbell 7.

OTERO

Drea Nelson 25, Cha Fariley 20, Leah Maufa 16, Emma Florez 5, Kailey Brown 2, Daija Robbins 9, Grace Lay 2.

WNCC men fall to Otero

                LA JUNTA, Colo. --  Teddy Allen finished with a double-double but it wasn’t enough as the Western Nebraska Community College men’s basketball team dropped a 109-101 South Sub-region contest to Otero Junior College Friday night.

                WNCC finishes the regular season with a 17-11 record and are 7-5 in conference play. Otero moves to 23-6 overall and 7-4 in conference. Otero has Trinidad State Junior College on Tuesday.

WNCC will now host a first-round playoff game next weekend when the pairings come out on Wednesday.

                Friday’s game saw WNCC jump out to a early lead but saw the Rattlers come back to tie the game at 51-51 at halftime. The second half saw Otero take the lead and WNCC never could recoup in falling in the contest.

                WNCC shot well from the field, hitting 61.4 percent, but were just 29 percent from beyond the arc (6 of 21).

                Otero was 58 percent from the field and 49 percent from the 3-point arc (11 of 27).

                The Rattlers also earned the rebounding edge 38-29. Allen led the Cougars with 10 boards followed by Elie Cadet and Kenny Strawbridge each with seven.

                WNCC had all five starters in double digits. Allen led the way with 43 points with 10 rebounds and five assists. Cadet chipped in 16 points followed by Tayler Johnson with 15, Strawbridge with 13, and Kalen Williams with 12.

                Otero had five in double digits, led by Romon Douglas-Watkins with 28 followed by Leighton Elliott-Sewell with 27.

 

WNCC                   50 51 – 101

Otero                    51-58 – 109

WNCC

Tayler Johnson 15, Kalen Williams 12, Kenny Strawbridge 13, Elie Cadet 16, Teddy Allen 43, Conner McCracken 2.

OTERO

Leighton Elliott-Sewell 27, Jamal Harris 2, Yaniel Vidal 7, RayQuawndis Mitchell 14, Jonah Carrasco 2, Marquise Johnson 13, Romon Douglas-Watkins 28, Jaduhkiss Soto 16.

WNCC baseball team drops home games

                The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team dropped a doubleheader to Barton Community College in the Cougars’ home opener at Cleveland Field on Friday.

                The first game saw Barton score five times in the fourth to open a pitcher’s dual to earn the 7-0 game one victory. The second game, which was a 9-inning contest, saw WNCC jump on top 3-0 on a 3-run Orey Fricke home run, but Barton came back to score nine runs to take the 9-6 win.

                WNCC head coach Mike Jones said they had good starting pitching, but just couldn’t get the offense going.

                “Both of our starting pitchers did a really good job,” Jones said. “They held their offense in check and gave us an opportunity to try to get something going offensively. Right now, we are struggling as an offense. We are struggling with timing. We are struggling with rotation of pitches. It will take us a little big of time. We need to keep playing and keep getting at bats and keep getting better.”

                WNCC managed just three hits in the first game but did put together an offensive attack together in the second game, registering five hits and plating six runs.

                WNCC had an opportunity to score early in game one, loading the bases, but couldn’t get runners in. Still, through the first three innings, it was anyone’s game.

                Barton finally took the lead with a five-run fourth inning and then played single runs in the fifth and sixth innings for the win.

                Barton outhit WNCC 7-3. WNCC was led by Ethan “Q” Miller with the only extra base hit for the Cougars with a double.

                Also collecting singles were Dermot Fritsch and Luis Alcantara.

                Garrett Declue went five innings, giving up six runs, just two earned runs, five hits, and striking out six. Trent Richter tossed the final two innings in allowing two hits and one run.

                The second game was a totally different offensive contest between the two teams. The two teams combined for 14 hits with Barton collecting nine and WNCC five.

                WNCC struck first with a 3-run second-inning that saw Jordan Rollins lead off with a walk followed by a single by Jayden Orozco. Then, with two outs and an 0-2 count, Fricke takes the third pitch deep over the rightfield fence for the lead and the 3-0 lead.

                Barton came back and tied the game with two in the fourth and one in the sixth. The Barton Cougars then went up 7-3 with four runs in the seventh inning on just two hits.

                The Cougars answered with three in the bottom of the seventh to cut the lead to 7-6. WNCC scored the three runs all with two outs. Miller and Fritsch each earned free passes with a walk and a hits-batsman. Alcantara followed with a double to score both runners. Alcantara came around to score on a Rollins single.

                Barton added two runs in the ninth for insurance.

                WNCC was led at the plate by Fricke with his home run and three RBIs. Alcantara had a double with two RBIs, while Hunter Nelson had a double. Jordan Rollins had the other RBI in the contest.

                WNCC used four pitchers in the 9-inning contest. Chandler Young started and went six strong innings, allowing four hits, three runs, and striking out four. Dawson Hurford took the loss, going just one inning in allowing four runs and two hits. Also pitching an inning were Brandon Rollinson and Ty McAninch.

                WNCC and Barton will be back in action Saturday at Cleveland field for a doubleheader beginning at noon. The first game will be a 7-inning game while the second game will be a 9-inning contest.

 

Game 1

Barton                  000 511 0 – 7 7 3

WNCC                   000 000 0 – 0 3 4

LP – Garrett Declue.

2B – Q Miller

 

Game 2

Barton                  002 001 402 – 9 9 0

WNCC                   030 000 300 – 6 5 2

LP – Dawson Hurford.

2B – Luis Alcantara, Hunter Nelson.

HR – Orey Fricke.