What an Effort: Hitchcock County Falls Just Short of Qualifying for Boys State Basketball

I don't know if Head Coach of the Hitchcock County Falcons Randall Rath could have asked his team to play any harder. On Monday evening, the #12 seeded Falcons went to Elm Creek, the #5 seed, for a matchup in the D1-5 District Final. This game, of course, was for the right to compete at the NSAA Boys State Basketball Tournament on March 12th-15th.

The Falcons fought hard, but eventually the Buffaloes made just a couple more plays and Elm Creek won 56-52. They clearly left it all on the court, did the Falcons.

Elm Creek started out by getting some easy buckets, and it took the Falcons a while to settle in. After one quarter it was 12-7. Jayce Hauxwell kept the offense afloat for Hitchcock County, scoring the first 13 points in the game. Eventually, Hitchcock County got going. The Falcons trailed at the half, 26-23; Hauxwell had 18 points, and Mason Schilke had five.

Hitchcock County started the half with a bang, as Adam Kisker hit a three to tie things up at 26-26. The teams traded buckets in the third, and going to the final period it was 40-38 in favor of Elm Creek.

Check out the highlights from the game brought to you by Prairie Girl Candle Company!

The battle continued in the fourth and it was high drama. With 5:30 to go in the game, it was 40-40 and Kisker hit a triple to make it 43-40. Oberg answered with a three right back and it was tied once again.

The teams traded triples back and forth for a couple more possessions. The Falcons Carter Propp hit a big one with just about four minutes to go, to put Hitchcock County up 49-46. But Elm Creek again answered as Caleb Reiter tied it up.

Hitchcock County led 52-49, but again, Reiter hit a three for Elm Creek to tie it, and then Oberg closed it out with a layup and some free throws.

Again, the Falcons fought so hard and hustled all over the floor.

Jayce Hauxwell was kind enough to chat with us after the game. Postgame interviews are brought to you by Acme Printing Company.

Elm Creek was led by Quin Oberg with 29 points, Ethan Fries had nine points, and Caleb Reiter had nine too. Elm Creek moves to 21-4 and the NSAA Boys Basketball State Tournament.

Jayce Hauxwell had 29 points for Hitchcock County, Adam Kisker and Mason Schilke had eight. Hitchcock County ends the season at 16-8.

Our Player of the Game, brought to you by Farmers National Company - Lori Harding Real Estate Sales went to Jayce Hauxwell.