Abby splits against Owen-Withee, Thorp
By Nathaniel Underwood
The Abbotsford girls basketball team split a pair of contests over the last week, falling to Owen-Withee on Tuesday while defeating Thorp last Thursday. The loss against the Blackhawks halted the Falcons winning streak, which had extended to five games after the team beat the Cardinals.
Owen-Withee, 50-37
A mid-game scoring drought felled the Falcons in their non-conference matchup on Tuesday night in Owen-Withee. After being down early, the Blackhawks were able to take advantage and defeat Abbotsford by double-digits.
In a low-scoring opening, the visiting Falcons found themselves on top, going up 10-3 on a basket from Azul Diaz. Owen-Withee responded with six straight points, but a three from Sydney Falteisek put Abbotsford back up by four with just over eight minutes left in the half. However, following Falteseik’s three, the visitors failed to score again in the first period.
During the drought, the Blackhawks scored 14 points and, after leading for the first quarter of the game, Abbotsford found themselves in a 10-point hole heading into halftime.
The Falcons’ offensive struggles continued into the second half, where Owen-Withee’s scoring streak continued. Falteisek finally stemmed the bleeding by making a free throw, ending the scoring drought at 11 minutes and stopping a 19-0 run for the home team. A three-point shot from Neveah Treankler with 14 minutes left in the game was the first field goal the Falcons had made since Falteisek’s three midway through the first period.
While the Falcons were able to cut the Blackhawk’s lead down to eight a number of times, they could not close the deficit any further. A late 12-3 run for Owen-Withee ran their advantage back out to 17 points and they were able to cruise to victory from there.
No Falcon finished in double digit points on Tuesday. Calley Ruesch ended the game with nine points, followed by Falteisek with seven. Diaz and Treankler had five points each, McKinley Klabon and Sommer Brodhagen both had four points and Briseida Escalera ended the game with two.
Thorp, 54-21
The Falcons only allowed two field goals in the first period and gave up just three points over the final 10 minutes of last Thursday evening contest in Thorp, where they cruised to a 54-21 victory over the Cardinals.
Abbotsford’s defense held the home team in check for much of the evening, allowing them to take a big early lead and hold on to it for the rest of the game. Sydney Falteisek, Calley Ruesch and Sommer Brodhagen led the early charge for the Falcons’ offense, which scored 11 points before the Cardinals even got on the board. A 10-0 run followed and Abbotsford led 21-1 with little over six minutes left in the half.
Thorp’s first make from the field came with little over five minutes left in the first period, but Abbotsford maintained its significant advantage and held a 28-6 lead heading into halftime.
The Cardinals offense found a bit of a rhythm in the opening minutes of the second period, but the Falcons were able to make their offensive output. With ten minutes left in the contest, the Falcons still held a 41-18 lead and with the home team’s scoring drying up over the final stretch, Abbotsford was able to take the comfortable 54-21 victory.
Falteisek led the team with 18 points, scoring nine in each half. Ruesch added 10 points of her own in the victory and Brodhagen ended the game with nine. Azul Diaz finished with six points, Neveah Treankler had four, McKinley Klabon had three and Briseida Escalera and Asia Atkinson put up two points each.
The Falcons will play Stratford next, heading on the road to face the Tigers on Friday, Jan. 5. Game time is set for 7:15 p.m.
OFFENSIVE LEADERS - Sydney Falteisek, above left, drives past her defender while Calley Ruesch, above right, converts on a fast break attempt during the Falcons victory over Thorp. The pair combined for 28 of the Falcons 54 points in the victory.
STAFF PHOTOS/NATHANIEL UNDERWOOD
