Broncos advance in post season

With 43-41 win Tuesday night, the Wauneta-Palisade girls basketball team will play in the D2-9 subdistrict championship game Thursday.
The Broncos came in seeded fifth, but upset fourth-seeded Medicine Valley Monday night then took down the number one seed and hosts, Cambridge, Tuesday.
Thursday WP will play third-seeded Dundy County Stratton, which beat second-seeded Hitchcock County 50-36 Tuesday. The game is scheduled to be played at Cambridge.
The Broncos game started off the tournament looking to avenge a Feb. 1 loss to Med. Valley.
“I was really proud of the product we put on the floor,” Head Coach Matt Cox said.
The Broncos trailed 14-16 at the end of the first quarter after MV hit four three pointers. Izzy Stehno scored seven of WP’s first quarter points.
Peyton Cox took over in the second quarter, scoring 12 of the Broncos’ 14 points in the quarter.
Trailing 28-29 to start the second half, WP hit 1-6 free throws in the quarter and was behind 40-42.
GraCee Goings took over for the Broncos in the fourth quarter. Going made 5-8 free throws and added five points from the field. As its defense held MV to only nine fourth quarter points, an early bucket from McKenna Doetker and late basket by Cox helped WP finish off the Raiders and advance with a 54-51 win.
After struggling to close out the game Feb. 1, Cox said WP managed the fourth quarter really well and it made a difference at the end of the game.
“We played a complete game with three players in double digits and everyone doing their part rebounding and defending,” Cox said.
GraCee Goings and Peyton Cox each scored 17 points while junior Stehno stepped up to add 11 points.
Emma Acton led the Broncos with eight rebounds.
A full recap of WP’s win over Cambridge will be included with next week’s coverage.
Regular season ends
The Broncos split their final two games of the season last Thursday and Friday.
WP held off Cheylin, Kansas 58-50 in its last home game.
“It was a really nice win for our senior girls for their last home game,” Cox said.
The Broncos opened up an eight-point lead in the first quarter, but was never able to shake Cheylin.
The lead bounced between seven and three points throughout the second quarter before WP took a 26-23 lead to halftime.
While their lead decreased to one point twice in the third quarter, the Broncos headed into the fourth quarter with a 38-34 lead.
Cox scored 10 of her team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter as WP held off a late Cheylin charge. With 4:32 remaining in the game, the Broncos led 44-43. After Cox scored eight points in a row, Acton and GraCee Goings hit late baskets to ensure the win.
Goings finished the night with 21 points. Cox also had 14 rebounds.
“I’d like to see our scoring more spread out, but Peyton and GraCee had a stellar offensive game and did what they needed, to win,” Cox said.
WP traveled to Maywood/Hayes Center the following night to take on Class D1’s No. 10 team.
“Not the game I wanted to end the regular season but we knew it’d be tough on the road,” Cox said.
Goings and Cox scored all 11 of the Broncos’ first quarter points.
Cheyenne Parrish, Jewel Holthus and Emma Acton added baskets in the second quarter.
WP trailed 20-38 at halftime.
“As the lead grew we struggled to score in the second half,” Cox said.
The Broncos scored 13 points over the game’s final 16 minutes and lost 33-68.
Cox scored 10 points and Stehno added six.
Boys lose two
The Bronco boys lost their two games last week, 35-65 to Cheylin and 32-75 to Class D2 No. 2 Maywood/Hayes Center.
WP’s regular season finale will be Friday at Arthur County.
The D1-10 subdistrict will begin Feb. 20 with the Broncos playing at top-seed Dundy County Stratton.