Wallace to second round

by Diane Stamm

Grant tribune-sentinel

The third time was a charm for the Wallace girls basketball team. 

After two January losses to Dundy County Stratton, the Wildcats beat DCS 35-27 Monday night in the opening game of the D2-9 subdistrict.

The win moved Wallace on to face Wauneta-Palisade, the subs top seed, Tuesday evening on the Broncos’ home court.

A recap of Monday’s game will be available in next week’s paper.

Wallace played its final regular season games at Southwest Thursday and Hitchcock County at home Friday.

Wallace dropped its game with the Roughriders 36-58.

Karlie Finley did everything she could to keep the Wildcats in the game, scoring seven of Wallace’s first nine points, until her teammates found their groove. 

Wallace trailed 19-26 at halftime and kept itself within striking distance with 7-8 free throw shooting in the third quarter.

Southwest put its foot down on the gas pedal in the fourth quarter. Finley had the Wildcats’ only field goal over the final eight minutes of the loss and finished with 18 points, including 10-13 free throws. Wallace made 15-22 free throws in the game.

The Wildcats put plenty of points on the board the next night, but Hitchcock County finished one step ahead.

Flaming and Kaley Sauser combined for all but five of Wallace’s first half points and Wallace trailed by one point, 27-28 at halftime.

Kendyl Flaming, Reagan Pelster, Dajana Garrison and Sauser each scored at least five points in the second half. Much like the RPAC tournament game, free throw shooting played its part. Hitchcock County made 21-26 free throws in the game and backed it up with good shooting from the floor to hand Wallace a 57-66 loss.

Sauser led the Wildcats with 16 points. Finley scored 15 and Flaming 11 points.