High school roundup: Saxony Lutheran girls basketball team claims 20th win

Freshman forward Brianna Mueller scored a game-high 20 points as Saxony Lutheran crushed Meadow Heights 57-17 in girls basketball action Friday night.

The Crusaders (20-2) showed just why they are ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 3, breaking open a 14-10 game by scoring the next 42 points, keeping the Panthers (12-11) scoreless for most of the second quarter and all of the third.

"We played a lot better defensively in the second half," Saxony coach Sam Sides said. "We got a couple steals and some layups. I think we just more or less wore 'em down."

That was evident as the Crusaders, going 11 players deep, came at the Panthers in waves, their full-court press playing dividends with numerous steals resulting in easy layups.

"We've played them three times, and all three games were the same," Meadow Heights coach Mark Verticchio said. "We stay with them for awhile, but then they just wear us out."

Where Sides is able to utilize his entire bench, the Panthers dress just six players.

"That was the best defense we've played all year until we got tired," Verticchio said.

Meadow Heights 8 2 0 7 -- 17

Saxony Lutheran 14 17 19 7 -- 57

MEADOW HEIGHTS (17) -- Caitlin Cook 5, Emma Cook 3, Taylor Cureton 5, Hayley Thorne 4. FG: 7, FT: 1-7, F: 9. (3-pointers: E. Cook 1, Cureton 1. Fouled out: none)

SAXONY LUTHERAN (57) -- Abby Hadler 2, Grace Mirly 5, Ali Galemmo 6, Brianna Mueller 20, Natalie Mueller 4, Lauren Hecht 6, Tess Daniel 2, Ashlynn Collier 4, Raegan Wieser 7, Maddie Brune 1. FG: 23, FT: 5-9, F: 9. (3-pointers: Hecht 2, Mirly 1, B. Mueller 1. Fouled out: none)

BOYS BASKETBALL

Sikeston 69, Central 47

Sikeston, the top-ranked team in Class 4, recorded its 20th win of the season with a home victory.

Central (12-8, 1-4 SEMO Conference) led 7-4 midway through the first quarter, but the Bulldogs recovered for an 18-10 lead after one quarter and a 33-23 advantage at halftime. Central only trailed by nine points entering the fourth quarter, but Sikeston's pressure defense ultimately took its toll. Central committed 29 turnovers in the game.

"I think the pressure finally got to them a little bit and some of our guys that don't have a whole lot of experience turned it over a little towards the end," Central coach Drew Church said. "I think our guys have gotten a little confidence."

Jamal Cox and Andre Statam both finished with 12 points for Central.

Vashawn Ruffin scored a game-high 20 points for Sikeston (20-1, 6-0), which claimed at least a share of the SEMO Conference title with the win. J.T. Jones added 18 points for the Bulldogs.

Central 10 13 9 15 -- 47

Sikeston 18 15 8 28 -- 69

CENTRAL (47) -- Andre Statam 12, Jamal Cox 12, Mikey Jones 8, Khane Booker 6, Al Young 4, Jalen Reddin 3, Chase Hagerty 2. FG 15, FT 8-11, F 14. (3-pointers: Booker 2, Statam 1. Fouled out: none).

SIKESTON (69) -- Vashawn Ruffin 20, J.T. Jones 18, Markeith Bratcher 11, Reese Porter 8, Kyland Gross 7, Zach Jackson 5. FG 19, FT 7-12, F 15. (3-pointers: Ruffin 4, Bratcher 3, Jones 1. Fouled out: none).

Notre Dame 51, Poplar Bluff 50

Quinn Poythress scored 12 of his game-high 18 points in the second half as the Bulldogs rallied from a four-point halftime deficit to nip the host Mules.

Poythress was the only play to score more than six points for the Bulldogs (12-10), who had 10 players score points.

Notre Dame 12 8 16 15 -- 51

Poplar Bluff 14 10 11 15 -- 50

NOTRE DAME (51) -- Quinn Poythress 18, Jordan Williamson 5, Patrick Williamson 2, Dalton Welch 3, Luke Mocherman 2, Trenton Schumer 3, Grant Ressel 6, Jordan Barber 4, Derek Hulshof 4, Tanner Shively 4. FG 18, FT 10-21, F 18. (3-pointers: Poythress 2, Wlch, Ressel 2. Fouled out: none).

POPLAR BLUFF (50) -- D'Marcus Patterson 4, Joseph Eyler 4, Lucas Tibbs 8, Ryan Brittingham 6, Stacy Gipson 9, Brandon Stuckenschneider 4, Chris Stocks 9, Lance Gray 6. FG 17, FT 14-19, F 20. (3-pointers: Brittingham 2. Fouled out: none).

Advance 80, Delta 35

Lane Below scored 18 points to lead the Hornets in the road win.

Ethan Barr added 14 points for Advance (18-6), while Curtis Gilliland had 10 points.

Dillon Lincoln had 16 points to pace the Bobcats (5-14).

Advance 23 25 26 6 -- 80

Delta 12 11 4 8 -- 35

ADVANCE (80) -- Tyler Middleton 5, Austin Miller 8, Braden Bien 9, Matt Hood 2, Eli Seger 4, Lane Below 18, Trey Wallace 8, Curtis Gilliland 10, Ben Trout 2, Ethan Barr 14. FG 28, FT 15-19, F 15. (3-pointers: Miller 2, Middleton. Fouled out: None)

DELTA (35) -- Tanner Schabbing 11, Alex Lashley 6, Dwight Nance 2, Dillon Lincoln 16. FG 13, FT 6-9, F 13. (3-pointers: Schabbing. Fouled out: None)

St. Vincent 69, Grandview 39

Dylan Richardet bucketed 13 points in the Indians' victory at home.

Trent Elder netted 12 points and dished out six assists for St. Vincent (14-7), while Jesse Francis sank 11 points and recorded four steals. Trenton Gremaud also contributed 11 points in a game in which every Indians player scored.

Michael Eberhardt scored a game-high 18 points for the Eagles (4-18).

Grandview 11 13 11 4 -- 39

St. Vincent 22 24 21 2 -- 69

ST. VINCENT (69) -- Jesse Francis 11, Trent Elder 12, Nathan Carroll 2, Levi Gotto 2, Gabe Galati 9, Dylan Richardet 13, Trenton Gremaud 11, Robbi Wingerter 1, Kevin Mattingly 4, Dylan Hellman 4. FG 26, FT 12-24, F 15. (3-pointers: Richardet 3, Elder 2. Fouled out: None)

GRANDVIEW (39) -- Kyle Ramsey 2, Keith Roy 9, Chase Blumenberg 3, Tyler Billingsley 4, Michael Eberhardt 18, Brett Kleeschulte 3. FG 12, FT 10-15, F 18. (3-pointers: Eberhardt 2, Roy 2, Blumenberg. Fouled out: Blumenberg)

JV -- Grandview won.

Oak Ridge 59, Chaffee 50

Ryan Below had a game-high 18 points and tallied five blocks and five steals to help the Blue Jays win at home.

Hunter Seyer nailed 15 points for Oak Ridge (18-6), while Lance Rohde recorded 10 rebounds.

Jared Walker led the Red Devils (13-10) with 14 points, while Peyton Montgomery contributed 11 points.

Chaffee 14 8 14 14 -- 50

Oak Ridge 14 8 20 17 -- 59

OAK RIDGE (59) -- Andrew Puchbauer 4, Ethan Seyer 5, Hunter Seyer 15, Kelby Brown 1, Ryan Below 18, Lance Rohde 8, Corvin Schoen 8. FG 17, FT 22-35, F 12. (3-pointers: H. Seyer 2, Puchbauer. Fouled out: Brown)

CHAFFEE (50) -- Peyton Montgomery 11, Cody Johnson 2, Layton Tenkhoff 5, Storm Estes 3, Jared Walker 14, Jimmy Golden 1, Charlie Montgomery 8, Trevor Morehead 6. FG 21, FT 4-11, F 23. (3-pointers: Walker 2, Estes, Tenkhoff. Fouled out: Tenkhoff)

East Prairie 51, Kelly 49

Brent Forck scored a game-high 16 points in the Hawks' loss at home.

Josh Roberts contributed 14 points for Kelly (4-16).

Damion Tipler led the Eagles (4-17) with 14 points.

East Prairie 3 15 17 16 -- 51

Kelly 15 8 17 9 -- 49

EAST PRAIRIE (51) -- Seth Johnson 4, Seth Bays 13, Dustin Bryars 3, Mason Douglas 9, Mack Marcum 4, Boyd Thompson 4, Damion Tipler 14. FG 19, FT 10-15, F 19. (3-pointers: Johnson, Bryars. Fouled out: Bays, Douglas)

KELLY (49) -- Gaven Ray 7, Austin Wadlington 6, Anthony Klunk 2, Trey Walker 3, Jerrod Lynn 1, Brent Forck 16, Josh Roberts 14. FG 10, FT 11-24, F 17. (3-pointers: Roberts 3, Forck 2, Walker. Fouled out: Forck)

JV -- Kelly won 59-54.

Oran 92, Scott County Central 83

Seth Ressel scored 22 points and Kody Moore tallied 20 -- he hit 15 of 16 free throws -- as the host Eagles beat the Braves for the third time this season.

Alex Heuring added 18 points, and Jacob Priggel and Hunter Schlosser both scored 11 for Oran (21-3).

Larandis Banks scored 22 for the Braves (11-12). Jeffrey Porter added 17 points, and Jaylen Porter had 14.

Oran 23 24 21 24 -- 92

SCC 17 21 21 24 -- 83

ORAN (92) -- Seth Ressel 22, Kody Moore 20, Jacob Priggel 11, Chance Tenkhoff 8, Hunter Schlosser 11, Alex Heuring 18, Cash Kinney 2. FG 28, FT 32-39. (3-pointers: Tenkhoff 2, Moore 1, Priggel 1.)

SCOTT COUNTY CENTRAL (83) -- Chris Brown 5, Larandis Banks 22, Jaylen Porter 14, Tyler Masters 8, Matt Blissett 7, Jeffrey Porter 17 , Cameron Blissett 8, Devon Davis 2. FG 35, FT 18-30, F 24. (3-pointers: Banks 2, Jaylen Porter 1, Jeffrey Porter 1. Fouled out: Brown, Jaylen Porter, Jeffrey Porter)

Windsor 54, Perryville 53

Colin Schirmer scored a game-high 29 points to pace the Pirates in the road loss.

Grant Dix added 15 points for Perryville (7-13).

Tom Keeney led the Owls (8-13) with 17 points.

Perryville 13 8 15 17 -- 53

Windsor 19 12 14 9 -- 54

WINDSOR (54) -- Brendan Campbell 7, Tommy Hoppers 8, Tom Keeney 17, Alex Andrews 5, Justin Sanders 8, Anel Ganic 9. FG 21, FT 6-10, F 15. (3-pointers: Campbell, Andrews. Fouled out: None)

PERRYVILLE (53) -- Grant Dix 15, Trenton Green 2, Brett Schnurbusch 5, Colin Schirmer 29, Jacob Lawrence 2. FG 19, FT 9-16, F 16. (3-pointers: Dix, Schnurbusch. Fouled out: None)

JV -- Windsor won 59-50.

-- From staff reports