The Emmetsburg E-Hawks secured a non-conference sweep of Thursday night’s basketball doubleheader in Milford over the Okoboji Pioneers. Game number one was a 46-33 decision in the girls contest. The game was decided in the second quarter, when Emmetsburg outscored the Pioneers by 13 and maintained the advantage the rest of the way out. That quarter consisted of nine points from freshman Ashton Connelly on her way to a team-high thirteen points. Paige Naig pitched in with eleven points. Okoboji’s Skylar Hansen led all scorers with 17 points, while Abby Taylor hit 6-of-10 free throws en route to ten points. The Pioneers fall to 3-7 overall and return from the holiday break to play at MOC-Floyd Valley on Tuesday, January 3. That same night, Emmetsburg will take a 6-2 mark on the road to Western Christian.
Click here for the postgame interview with Okoboji coach Abby Goodlaxson.
In the nightcap, Emmetsburg broke open an eight-point game in the fourth quarter with a 27 point effort over the final eight minutes, grabbing a 68-51 road win over the Pioneers. The E-Hawks were virtually automatic at the free throw line to solidify the win, hitting 9-of-11 down the stretch. Ryan Kliegl scored ten of his 15 points in the final quarter, one of four players in double-figures for Emmetsburg. Zach Overberg had a game-high 16 points, Marcus Akridge finished with 14 points, and Jake Carlson reached ten points. Okoboji tallied thirteen points from Keith Oskvig off the bench, and another ten from Dalton Poppema as both players hit three shots from outside the arc. Dalton Syverson ended the night with ten points. Okoboji will enter 2012 with an 0-9 record, and travel to MOC-Floyd Valley to re-open the conference schedule on Tuesday, January 3. Emmetsburg will play at Western Christian that night in Lakes Conference play.
Click here for the postgame interview with Okoboji coach Ryan Paulsen.
In other basketball action from Thursday, Sioux City Bishop Heelan swept a pair of games with Sioux Center, dropping the Warriors 71-53 in the boys game and 78-40 in the girls matchup. And the West Lyon boys defeated Viborg/Hurley out of South Dakota, 47-38.
North of the border, the Fairmont boys pummeled St. James, 69-36, while the girls game turned out much the same, a 61-42 victory for the Cardinals. And the Martin County West girls snuck bye Windom, 51-48.
