Boys Basketball: Falcons End Major Streak, Win Fifth Straight

Fillmore Central football had a shining season. The basketball team is having a good season as well. Brady O’Connor’s Falcons ripped off three 1A wins to run their streak to five. On Monday, they streaked past Randolph (10-7). FC expanded a 44-36 halftime lead by out-scoring the Rockets 41-20 in the second, prevailing 85-56. FC shot 49% (29 of 59) while making 19 of 28 free throws (68%). Jayce Kiehne 30 pts (9-12 FGs, 11-16 FTs, 7 rebs, 4 asts) and Dillon O’Connor (15 pts, 6-9 FGs, 3-4 threes, 9 asts, 4 stls) led the way. Luke Hellickson (12 pts), Will Parker (12 pts, 5-10 FGs, 10 rebs), and Bryce Corson (8 pts, 6 asts) helped. FC then built a 47-25 at halftime on Mabel-Canton (9-9), posting an 82-51 win. Kiehne (27 pts, 11-19 FGs, 4-6 FTs, 4 asts) and Parker (20 pts – 18 in first half, 8-13 FGS, 4-5 FTs, 11 rebs) did the big damage. O’Connor (16 pts, 6-9 FGs, 5 rebs, 5 asts) and Corson (10 pts, 6 rebs, 6 asts) also did work. M-C was led by Cayden Tollefsrud (28 pts, 3-6 threes, 9 rebs). Jordan Larson chipped in 7 (pts) and 4 (asts). FC ended its week accomplishing something that hasn’t since 2010. A Falcon boys b-ball team beat Rushford-Peterson (10-7). FC bult a double-digit first half lead, but watched Dawson Bunke convert a four-point play and then get fouled on a baseball-pass end-of-half shot. The 6-0 run left FC up 33-27 at intermission. R-P clawed to within one, 39-38, after halftime. But FC then went on a 10-1 spurt. They got buckets on four straight possessions, including a trio of threes, to go back ahead double-digits, 52-41. The edge grew to 60-45. FC prevailed 66-55. O’Connor (19 pts, 7-8 FGs, 5 rebs, 5 asts), Parker (17 pts, 6-8 FGs, 12 rebs), and Kiehne (15 pts, 6-10 FGs) gave FC three in double figures. Hellickson chipped in 8 (pts) and 6 (rebs). Bunke (18 pts, 4-8 threes, 7 rebs) and Grady Hengel (18 pts, 3-10 threes, 9 asts) led the Trojans. FC shot 24 of 43 (56%) including hitting 18 of 26 two-point field goals (69%). R-P went 9 of 24 (38%) from deep. The Trojans (5-4, 10-8) entered having won five of six. FC (6-4, 13-5) had lost 25 straight games in the series.