Photo by Paul Trende
Rushford-Peterson’s boys finished their regular season by improving upon earlier results versus fellow TRC-East teams. Chris Drinkall’s group out-scored Cotter 36-22 in the second half. The #18 in A Trojans annulled a 32-30 halftime deficit to post a 66-54 win. Dawson Bunke (17 pts, 4-8 threes, 9 rebs), Sampson Wilkemeyer (13 pts, 6-7 FGs, 4 rebs, 4 stls), Cayden Lea (14 pts, 4 stls), and Carson Johnson (10 pts, 3-4 FGs, 4-6 FTs) gave R-P four in double figures. The Trojans won the first meeting 68-66 in OT. R-P then avenged a 95-87 OT loss to Fillmore Central. Like the first game, R-P started with a big lead, jumping out 24-8. They did not relinquish it in the re-match. FC closed in multiple times, to 39-34, 45-41, and 64-58, but never got over the hump. R-P prevailed 77-67. The super frosh Lea led the way with 29 points (12-20 FGs, 3-6 threes) and 6 steals. He scored 21 in the first half but sat with two fouls. Bunke (14 pts, 15 rebs, 4 stls, 4 blks), Cole Thompson (11 pts, 3-5 threes), and Carson J. (9 pts, 5 rebs) helped. FC was led by Jayce Kiehne (28 pts, 11-16 FGs, 4 asts) and Luke Hellickson (21 pts, 3-11 threes). Greg Kennedy chipped in 7 (pts) and 10 (rebs). FC was just 7 of 17 from the line (41%), R-P 12 of 20 (60%). It was the Trojans’ 20th win (8-6, 20-7). They are 1A’s 3-seed, will host 14-seed Glenville-Emmons (10-17). FC (4-10, 14-13) lost its fourth in a row. They are 1A’s 7-seed, will host 10-seed Houston (15-11).