Caldwell’s Tylyn Ward scored 10 points against West Elk.

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — In the topsy-turvy South-Central Border League (see standings below) where it is a fight every night, West Elk survived a ferocious comeback from the Bluejays to secure a 38-36 victory. Caldwell was down by 10 points at one point, but kept coming back in the fourth quarter with a chance to either tie or win in the last second.

Unfortunately, Caldwell could not get off a final shot and West Elk preserved the victory.

Although going in, Caldwell was 3-1 and West Elk 2-2 in the SCBL standings, most observers thought Caldwell was the underdog. For awhile it looked as if West Elk was going to cruise to victory.

West Elk took a 14-6 first quarter lead and was holding a 21-14 advantage at the half. West Elk upped the lead to double digits to start the third, but Caldwell would go and was trailing 31-27 at the end of three.

Using two huge buckets by Strnad and Kassity Bruey, Caldwell knotted it at 36-36 with 1:08 to play.

After making a free throw, and Caldwell missing on the other end, West Elk used a spread offense to take off most of the clock. With 10 seconds, Ashley Cookson hit 1 of 2 at the line to give the Pats a 38-36 lead.

Caldwell could not get a score thereafter. The Bluejays drop to 3-2 in the SCBL and 6-4 overall. West Elk improves to 3-2 in SCBL and 13-2 overall.

Girls League Standings

———
Caldwell 6 8 13 9 —  36.

West Elk 14 7 10 7 — 38

West Elk: Megan McClendon 9, Macy McClendon 11, Olsman 6, D. Wisman 4, Cookson 3, Woods 2, Gillespie 2 and K. Wiseman 1. 11 (2) 10-18, 38.

Caldwell: Ward 10, Mayo 7, Katie Schmidt 6, Bruey 4, Kadie Jo Schmidt 4, Lewellen 3, Strnad 2. 9 (3) 6-9 36.

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