8A

The Valley Center Hornets dominated the Salina Lakewood Mustangs, emerging victorious with a final score of 28-8. The Hornets' relentless performance was evident from the opening quarter, where they established an early lead of 12-0, and they never looked back. The first half showcased the Hornets' defensive prowess, with a halftime score of 19-2. The full-court press strategy implemented by Valley Center proved to be highly effective, forcing an astounding 33 turnovers from the Mustangs. The Hornets' defensive efforts included an impressive 23 steals, with Avery Williams and Makayla L'Ecuyer leading the charge with 5 steals each. Williams, not only a defensive force but also a playmaker, contributed significantly with 5 assists. The rebounding game was strong for Valley Center, with Raegan McDonald securing 7 rebounds, complemented by Rachel Garten and Mallory Ferguson with 5 rebounds each. The scoring distribution for the Hornets was well-balanced, with Garten leading the charge with 13 points. Raegan McDonald and Mallory Ferguson each contributed 4 points, while Makayla L'Ecuyer added 4 points to the scoreboard. Gracie Sharon and Julia Ensey also made contributions with 2 and 1 point, respectively.

8B
The Valley Center Hornets 8th Grade B team lost on Thursday night to Salina Lakewood 18-12. The girls came out and played extremely hard throughout the game. However, Salina Central was able to hit their shots and the team was just unable to convert throughout the game. This was evident when looking at the stats after the game as we outshot Salina by 23 attempts! “I was proud of the intensity and how they never gave up,” said Coach Corey Carter. The team just fell short in the 4th quarter. The leading scorers were: Katrina Dixon 4, Emily Reffner 3, Gracie Sharon 2, Miley Dalrymple 2, Sam Anderson 1.

7A
7A lost to Salina Lakewood 10-42. We are gaining confidence and doing a better job recognizing scoring opportunities and communicating with each other. We continue to shoot well from the free throw line; tonight we were 4/5. Despite being down by 30 points, this team played with just as much fire in the last ten seconds of the game as they did from the jump. They do not quit. Jerzie Shultz led the team with 5, Kinsley Johnston and Kelsey Friend added 2, and Kenzie Truman had 1.

7B
The girls' basketball team may have suffered a tough loss against Salina Lakewood, but there were definitely some positives to take away from the game. The team was able to overcome an 8 point deficit in the 2nd half, resulting in a loss by 2 . This shows their resilience and determination to succeed. The coaches' pride in their team's effort is a testament to the girls' hard work on the court. After several calls not going our way, the team did not let it affect their focus and continued to play hard until the end. Consistency is key and the girls are running their offenses and plays with more continuity which is a great sign for their future games. Every game, win or lose, is an opportunity to learn and improve.