Article Image Alt Text

Wausa’s Lady Vikings run into a tough stretch

OSMOND — The Wausa girls basketball team dropped to 5-14 after a tough stretch of games last week.

The Lady Vikings dropped home decisions to Bloomfield (57-29) at Summerland (Clearwater/Ewing/ Orchard), 52-33, and an opening contest at the Lewis and Clark Conference Tournament 46-28.

Against Bloomfield, Morgan Kleinschmit and Sienna West led the team with eight and seven points apiece.

“It was a snow day, so the kids did not go to school,” Wausa head coach Brandon Kirby said. “However, in the game we struggled to get anything going. In total we only made 12 shots from the field and went three of seven from the free throw line.

“Defensively, we struggled with getting into proper position to prevent the ball from being passed to the block. Our help side defense also lacked.”

West led the way against Summerland, scoring 10 points.

“I felt that we played a much better game than we did with Bloomfield,” Kirby said. “Going into half we were down 21- 18, and that being said we felt good about the position we were in. I felt the game was better, but in total we had 34 turnovers and that is not going to win you very many games.”

Then came the defeat to the Lady Wildcats. Brooke Kumm was the highpoint girl for Wausa scoring 14 points while Blair Wakeley chipped in with six points.

“This was a team we matched up against well on paper,” Kirby said. “This was another game we struggled to find a spark and get things going. We could only muster four points in the first quarter and 12 for the first half. “On a positive note, I thought the girls did a much better job of getting to the free throw line (21 times), but we also need to make those (only nine).”

Kirby said that he believes his team tries to do too much and think too hard.

“We struggle to play as a unit and succeed as one,” Kirby said. “Turnovers and lack of rebounding have been two things this week that have come back and hurt us in every game. There are times that I have seen good things, so that tells me that the girls do have it in them.

“Not to sound too simplistic, but we need to stop giving the ball away. Not to mention we have to play as a team and help each other out. We will play Hartington-Newcastle again and I do not think the result will be the same. I believe we can give a better performance.”

With SubDistricts coming closer, Kirby wants to see his team improve those areas that could make all the difference.

“With our play, I just think taking care of the ball and playing as a team will take us far,” Kirby said. “I still believe we are a very dangerous team.”

One of the Lady Vikings, the freshman West, continues to impress and be dangerous in her own right.

“She has done a great job for us this week,” Kirby said. “We slowly inserted her into the mix, and she has responded very well.”

West admits that it was hard to adjust early in the season, but things are starting to come together.

“I was excited that I made it on varsity,” she said. “But I would always be nervous if coach would put me in and then he started to a couple of games ago and it was nerve wracking at first and then it kept getting easier and easier.

“It’s just going in more and so I am not as nervous that I am going to screw up. I am still going to and make mistakes, but I am more comfortable. I like to play defense, but I have also gotten better at shooting.”

West said her defense is about her want to be aggressive and even though she is not always the best at it, she tries hard to be as good as she can be.

“I am also doing good at shooting from in close,” West said. “I would like to improve on my rebounding. I need to work on my jumping and I need to get more muscle so I can jump higher and get more rebounds.”

WAUSA 4 8 12 4 — 28

WAUSA 4 8 12 4 — 28

HARTINGTON 13 18 6 9 — 46

WAUSA HN

FG 8-32 -

3PT 1-15 -

FT 9-21 -

Reb 27 -

SCORING

WAUSA - Brooke Kumm, 14; Blair Wakeley, 6; Morgan Kleinschmit, 3; Anika Alonzo, 2. Alexa Cunningham, 2; Abby Kaiser, 1.

REBOUNDS

WAUSA - Brooke Kumm, 7; Morgan Kleinschmit, 6; Alexa Cunningham, 5; Abby Kaiser, 2; Blair Wakeley, 2; Christina Martinson, 2; Hadley Vanness, 1; Sienna West, 1; Anika Alonzo, 1.

ASSISTS

WAUSA - Blair Wakeley, 2; Morgan Kleinschmit, 1; Abby Kaiser, 1.

STEALS

WAUSA - Brooke Kumm, 3; Morgan Kleinschmit, 2; Abby Kaiser, 1.

WAUSA 8 10 6 9 — 33

SUMMERLAND 7 14 17 14 — 52

WAUSA SUMMERLAND

FG 13-30 -

3PT 1-6 -

FT 4-8 -

Reb 28 -

SCORING

WAUSA - Sienna West, 10; Brooke Kumm, 5; Morgan Kleinschmit, 4; Anika Alonzo, 4; Charlie Price, 3; Blair Wakeley, 3; Hadley Vanness, 2; Alexa Cunningham, 2.

REBOUNDS

WAUSA - Alexa Cunningham, 8; Abby Kaiser, 4; Morgan Kleinschmit, 4; Brooke Kumm, 3; Sienna West, 3; Charlie Price, 2; Blair Wakeley, 2; Hadley Vanness, 1; Christina Martinson, 1.

ASSISTS

WAUSA - Morgan Kleinschmit, 4; Abby Kaiser, 2; Alexa Cunningham, 2; Brooke Kumm, 2; Blair Wakeley, 1; Ashlynn Timmerman, 1; Sienna West, 1.

STEALS

WAUSA - Morgan Klinschmit, 3; Blair Wakeley, 1; Abby Kaiser, 1.

WAUSA 8 3 6 12 — 29

BLOOMFIELD 16 16 15 10 — 57

WAUSA BLOOMFIELD

FG 10-36 13-30

3PT 2-18 6-18

FT 3-7 13-23

Reb 27 36

SCORING WAUSA - Morgan Kleinschmit, 8; Sienna West, 7; Ashlynn Timmerman, 6; Anika Alonzo, 5; Christina Martinson, 2; Brooke Kumm, 1.

REBOUNDS WAUSA - Morgan Kleinschmit, 6; Alexa Cunningham, 5; Kilee Thorell, 3; Charlie Price, 3; Christina Martinson, 2; Brooke Kumm, 2; Sienna West, 2; Anika Alonzo, 2; Abby Kaiser, 1; Blair Wakeley, 1.

ASSISTS WAUSA - Sienna West, 3; Brooke Kumm, 3; Christina Martinson, 1.

STEALS WAUSA - Brooke Kumm, 4; Morgan Kleinschmit, 3; Blair Wakeley, 2; Christina Martinson, 2; Kilee Thorell, 1; Alexa Cunningham, 1; Anika Alonzo, 1.

Northeast Nebraska News Company

102 W. Main
Hartington NE 68739
402-254-3997