Area basketball roundup: Murray girls and boys off to strong start

Murray 51,

Lamoni 48

The Murray boys basketball squad has played a sparse schedule to a 2-1 record, with three games in quick succession coming this week before the winter break.

The Mutangs opened their season by holding off the Lamoni Demons in a thrilling home victory in which Reece Held (17 points, five rebounds three assists) Levi Snyder (11 points, four rebounds) and Keegan Johnston (eight points) led Murray to a 1-0 start.

New players have had to emerge for coach Darin Wookey’s team, as a robust senior class graduated from last year’s 21-3 team.

Murray 73,

Diagonal 46

Held was even more slick in game two, a 27-point beatdown of Diagonal.

The sophomore poured in 23 points, pulled down seven rebounds, dished out six assists and registered three steals.

Devin Slaughter added 14 points. Snyder pulled down eight rebounds and had four steals.

Payton Flaherty also scored nine points.

Murray was ferocious on the offensive boards with 21 rebounds.

Mormon Trail 66, Murray 38

GARDEN GROVE — Murray dropped its first game of the season Tuesday, Dec. 5 at Mormn Trail, as Snyder was the lone Mustang to break into double figures with 11 points while also hauling in 10 rebounds.

(As of press, the Mustangs were set to play Twin Cedars Tuesday)

Knoxville 91, Clarke 50

Clarke dropped a contest at home last Tuesday as it could not slow Knoxville’s offense.

Peyton Winship’s 13 points led Clarke. Lenny Peavy and Cobey Robins each contributed 11 points apiece.

Byron Rivera led the Indians with six rebounds.

E-B-F 78, Clarke 64

EDDYVILLE — Peavy put up 22 points and five steals, but Clarke was outscored by 13 in the fourth quarter of the loss Friday.

No results were available for Monday’s game against Bedford.

Robins scored nine points and dished out seven assists, Winship scored 12 and River added 14.

Girls hoops action

Murray 62, Mormon Trail 38

GARDEN GROVE — Four different Lady Mustangs scored in double figures and Murray easily rolled to a 24-point road victory over Mormon Trail on Dec. 5.

Bre Klein’s 14 points and six rebounds led Murray. Kayla Wookey (13 points, six assists), Kendra Boles (10 points), Ally Waske (10 points) and Hailey Chew (nine points) pushed the Lady Mustangs to victory.

Murray 44, Diagonal 41

MURRAY - Down five, the Murray Lady Mustangs outscored Diagonal 14-6 in the fourth quarter to best one of the other unbeatens in the Bluegrass Conference Friday, Dec. 1.

The Lady Mustangs found themselves at the free throw line 30 times throughout the course of the contest and sunk 20 of those 30 attempts.

Bre Klein scored eight of her 14 points from the line while Kayla Wookey added 12 of her own.

Katie Sobotka was the only Maroonette in double figures, notching 12 points.

Murray 53, Bedford 22

MURRAY — The Lady Mustangs forced 18 steals, seven of which came from Zadei Hatfield (who also scored nine points) and Murray thrashed Bedford on Nov. 30.

Kendra Boles added 11 points and Ally Waske scored 10 and grabbed seven rebounds.

Murray 40, Lamoni 21

MURRAY — Murray was not yet ready for an offensive explosion at the start of its season, but the defense sure came ready to play in an opening night win at home over Lamoni on Nov. 28

Murray grabbed 31 rebounds and were led by Zadie Hatfield’s five steals. Hatfield added seven rebounds and five assists.

Bre Klein proved hard to stop with 16 points to lead the Lady Mustangs.

“Got off to a very slow start,” Murray coach Jerry Shields said. “Didn’t make our first basket until just a little over one minute to go in the first. Played pretty well defensively.”

Murray sat at 4-0 as of press time, with three games set for this week.

Clarke 61, Bedford 13

BEDFORD — The Indians raced to a 27-0 first-quarte lead and walloped their hosts Bedford on Monday by 48 points.

Deseree Stubbe led all scorers with 21 points and also swiped six steals.

Freshman Kaitlyn Halsband scored a new career-high 12 points and grabbed seven boards. Megan Linskens added 12 points, and Clarke shot 50 percent from the floor (23-46).

Clarke grabbed 43 rebounds, 10 of which came from CeJay Blakely’s tenacious effort on the boards.

The Indians held Bedford to 5 of 44 shooting.

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 62, Clarke 54

EDDYVILLE — Linskens led the Indians with 24 points, but Clarke fell by eight Friday.

Stubbe added 15 points.

Knoxville 65, Clarke 49

The combined 34-point effort of Linskens and Stubbe (both scored 17) was not enough as Clarke fell behind in the second quarter and could not come back.

Clarke struggled shooting going 16 of 58 overall.