Ark Valley News - VCMS boys sweep Rose Hill, fall to Derby

VCMS boys sweep Rose Hill, fall to Derby
By The News staff
Last Updated: January 29, 2015

The Valley Center Middle School boys' basketball teams swept Rose Hill on the road Jan. 26 and were swept by Derby at home Jan. 22.

The Hornets will host Maize Jan. 29 and finish the regular season at Newton Feb. 2. The Pioneer League Division II tournament will begin Feb. 7 in Augusta.

Eighth grade

The Hornets beat Rose Hill 31-25 and improved to 4-7.

Valley Center led 10-5 after the first quarter and held the five-point advantage into halftime. The Hornets held off Rose Hill for the victory.

Trenton Driskill scored 11 points to lead Valley Center. Zach Williams chipped in six. Kolby Keeler and Waylon Chance had four each, while Erick Peach and Josh Isaacs had three each.

Valley Center fell to Derby 53-30.

The Hornets trailed early and couldn't recover, despite a 14-12 third-quarter run. Valley was outscored 27-9 in the first half.

"The eighth grade had a tough night," Valley Center coach Josh Lee said. "We've been dealing with some sickness, and were without several players for practice all week, and a couple for the game. This hampered our preparation and forced us to change some things about what we do. That said, our kids played very hard, and after some growing pains in the beginning of both games, were able to really compete. We do need to do a better job of starting with some intensity regardless of the situation we find ourselves in, but we'll continue to work on that."

Keeler led the Hornets with 12 points. Chance and Blake Holt had six each. Peach, Sam Fields and Williams had two each.

"B" team — The Valley Center eighth-grade "B" squad placed third at the Goddard Eisenhower tournament Jan. 24.

The Hornets lost to Eisenhower 35-19 but came back to defeat Goddard 28-19.

Against Eisenhower, Dylan Bastian finished with eight points. Blayne Hightower, Storm Porter and Jeren Carter had three each. Hayden Brauer had two.

Against Goddard, Brauer scored 13 points. Bastian had six, Brennan Ricks five and Porter and Carter two each.

Valley Center beat Rose Hill 41-32 on the road Jan. 26. The Hornets controlled the game early with a 9-0 run and led 27-9 at halftime. Rose Hill outscored the Hornets 23-14 in the second half.

Ricks and Porter had eight points each. Peach finished with six. Gavin Fitch and Carter had four each, while Hightower, Brauer and Holt had three each. Colby Swift added two.

The eighth-grade "B" team fell to Derby 40-29 at home Jan. 22.

After trailing 7-2 in the first quarter, Valley Center cut Derby's lead to three by halftime. Derby came out on fire in the second half, outscoring Valley Center 22-14 for the final margin.

Ricks had 14 points to lead the Hornets. Bastian finished with six, Hightower five and Carter and Williams two each.

Seventh grade

Valley Center improved to 7-4 with a gusty victory over Rose Hill on the road Jan. 26. The Hornets led by three at halftime and held off Rose Hill for the 37-35 win.

Valley Center outscored Rose Hill 10-8 in the first quarter and 19-16 in the first half.

The Hornets were outscored by a point in the third quarter, but kept Rose Hill from edging any closer down the stretch.

Mason Burns poured in 12 points for the winning team, while Ray Flora added eight. Jakob Byrne finished with seven. Bryan Rascon had three. Justin Gulledge, Mason Reed and Caleb Fisher had two each, and Wyatt Redburn had one.

Valley Center's comeback attempt fell short as the Hornets lost to Derby 40-36 at home Jan. 22.

Derby led 13-5 after the first quarter and extended an 18-12 halftime lead to 31-18 after the third quarter.

The Hornets battled back, outscoring the visitors 18-9 down the stretch.

Valley had a tough night at the free throw line, making just three of 15 attempts.

"I believe that group will be ready to work to improve that stat in the future," Lee said.

Byrne led the Hornets with 16 points. Caden Holle and Rascon had six each. Reed chipped in four and Burns three. Fisher had one.

"B" team — The seventh-grade "B" team placed second at the Goddard Eisenhower tournament Jan. 24.

Valley Center defeated Augusta 24-15 but lost to Goddard in the championship game 39-32.

Against Augusta, Wyatt Redburn paced the Hornets with 10 points. Matthew Patterson had eight, Wyatt Hager three, Jace Crass two and Eli DeBaun one.

Against Goddard, Patterson finished with 15. Crass and Josiah Farney had five each. Justin Gulledge had three. Austin Wolff and Gandon Menges had two each.

The Hornets led 16-12 at halftime, but were beaten in the third quarter to fall to Derby 33-29 at home Jan. 22.

"It wasn't for lack of effort," Lee said of the Hornets. "Those kids continue to improve with each game and really compete hard."

Valley Center was outscored 10-2 in the decisive third quarter.

Patterson had 14 points for the Hornets. Austin Wolff finished with eight and Gulledge seven.

Valley Center overcame an early deficit to take a 26-17 victory over Rose Hill on the road Jan. 26.

The Hornets trailed 8-2 after the first quarter and 14-10 at halftime. Valley Center outscored Rose Hill 16-3 in the second half.

Patterson had eight points, Wolff seven, Quintin Talbot four, Gulledge three and Farney and Crass two each.