Basketball seasons come to an end for the Stockton Tigers

The basketball seasons came to an end last week for both the Tiger Boys and Lady Tigers, after both teams fell in the first round of Class 1A, DI Sub-State Basketball Tournament. The Stockton boys (1-17), seeded fifth, were defeated by fourth-seeded Oberlin-Decatur Community (10-9) on Thursday night in Oberlin by the score of 72-25. The thirdseeded Stockton girls (118) hosted sixth-seeded St. Francis (2-17) on Friday night at Tiger Gymnasium, and were upset 47-39.

Tiger Boys

The Red Devils took care of business on their home court last Thursday, jumping out to a 24-9 lead over Stockton in the first quarter. Decatur-Community was able to put together two more 20(+)point quarters to lead 44-12 at the intermission, and 68-18 going into the fourth period before getting the 72-25 win. It was the final game of the season for the Tigers, and the last high school game for three seniors on Stockton’s team, Hayden Hilbrink, Max Moffet and Zach Young. Stockton finished the season with a record of 1-18.

Freshman Jace Kesler led the Tigers in scoring against the Red Devils with eight points.

Decatur-Community had three players in double figures: Tyler Ostmeyer 21, Davin Jensen 17, and Gage Williby 15.

SHS 9 3 6 7—25

DCHS 24 20 24 4—72

Stockton—Hilbrink 6, Gasper 2, Kesler 8, Moffet 3, Thayer 3, Mongeau 3.

Decatur Community—Davin Jensen 17, Capuzzo 5, Ketterl 3, Gage Williby 15, Oien 3, Hendrickson 2, J. Ostmeyer 3, Tyler Ostmeyer 21, Shaw 1, Koerperich 2.

Lady Tigers

Despite jumping out to an impressive 8-0 lead in their game with St. Fran- cis, the Stockton Lady Tigers suffered a tough loss on Friday night at Tiger Gymnasium.

Stockton’s Ava Dix scored the first basket of the game at the 6:51 mark of the opening period, and the defensive press that ensued led to three more quick baskets by Brin Muir, Aubrey Kesler and Bodye Stithem to push the lead to 8-0.

St. Francis finally got on the scoreboard with 5:33 left in the quarter to make the score 8-2. A couple minutes later the Lady Indians were within one point, 8-7, and from then on it was a real battle between the teams.

Stockton led 14-12 at the end of the first period, but just 17 seconds into the second quarter the game was tied at 14-all. A trey by Stithem gave the Lady Tigers a 17-14 advantage, but by the 5:55 mark of the second St. Francis had taken its first lead of the game 19-17. Stockton was able to finish out the first half on a 6-0 run on two baskets by Stithem, and one by Dix to lead 23-19 at the intermission.

The third quarter was a see-saw contest with the Lady Indians owning a 33-30 advantage going into the final eight minutes. The Stockton girls continued to fight, and Jalia Creighton’s basket from the baseline with 6:29 left in the game put the Lady Tigers on top 34-33. Unfortunately, that would be the last lead Stockton would enjoy. With four minutes remaining to be played, St. Francis led 37-34, but Dix scored two points less than a minute later to pull the Lady Tigers within one, 37-36.

Another bucket by Dix with 2:39 left made the score 40-38 in favor of the visitors, but from that point on the Lady Indians were able to hit key shots and free throws to hold off Stockton for a 47-39 win. With the loss, the Lady Tigers, who will return all their players next year, ended their season with a record of 11-8.

Stockton was led in scoring by juniors Ava Dix and Bodye Stithem with 13 points each.

The Lady Indians were led by junior Delaney Meyers who scored a game-high 19 points. Makaila Matthies, a senior, added 14.

SFHS 12 7 14 14—47

SHS 14 9 7 9—39

St. Francis—Hingst 9, Makaila Matthies 14, Delaney Myers 19, P. Myers 2, Smull 3.

Stockton—Jal. Creighton 2, Ava Dix 13, Kesler 4, Muir 7, Bodye Stithem 13.