Top-seeded Dundy County Stratton ends Broncos’ season

    The Wauneta-Palisade boys’ basketball team saw its season come to an end Feb. 22 in Benkelman when the Broncos lost their subdistrict D1-11 game with Dundy County Stratton.
    The Tigers sit second in the D1 point standings and were the top seed in the subdistrict.
    WP advanced with a 42-41 win over Southwest in the tournament’s first game Feb. 21.
    The Broncos were put on their heels early in the DCS game. The Tigers scored 25 points in the first quarter, but WP put up 11 points of its own. Aidan Kennicutt started WP off with two free throws. Laiden Lawler and Ruel Malcolm added field goals before Kennicutt chipped in one of his own. Michael Duvel rounded out the Broncos’ first quarter with a three pointer.
    WP was limited to free throws in the second quarter. Malcolm and Kennicutt each went 2-2 from the charity, but their teammates went 0-3. With a big quarter by the Tigers, WP trailed 15-49 at halftime.
    Kennicutt, Grant Walker, Robert Hanna and Malcolm made field goals for the Broncos in the third quarter to go with a free throw by Malcolm. DCS slowed down somewhat, but WP’s deficit grew to 24-67 heading into the fourth quarter.
    With the clock running, DCS sat its starters and WP went to its bench, as well.
    Eleven Broncos saw action in the fourth quarter. Littrel made WP’s only basket over the game’s final minutes. Walker went 3-4 from the charity stripe to wrap up the 29-70 loss.
    Kennicutt led WP with eight points. Malcolm scored seven points.
District results
    Several of the Class D1 district games were played Tuesday night.
    North Platte St. Pat’s, which beat DCS in Benkelman 70-55 Feb. 8, is D1’s top seed and beat  Ansley-Litchfield 55-39 in Cozad.
    DCS overcame a halftime deficit to beat 15th-seeded Johnson-Brock at Kearney 38-27.
    Lourdes Central Catholic was the 14th seed and upset third-seeded Ainsworth 67-52 Monday.
    Elgin Public/Pope John, the fourth seed, beat 13th-seeded Maywood/Hayes Center 55-36 Saturday.
    The fifth seed, Loomis, eked out a 57-54 win over 12th-seeded Kenesaw Saturday.
    Burwell, seeded sixth, beat Blue Hill, seeded 11th, 57-50 Monday.
    Seventh-seeded Walthill was upset by 10th seeded Riverside 66-55 Tuesday.
    Eighth-seeded Leyton got beat by ninth-seeded Mead, 33-56, that evening, as well.
    The girls and boys’ state tournament will run concurrently next week in Lincoln.