The Yates Center High boys and girls both fell in the first round of their Class 1A-I substate playoff games on Thursday and Friday night.
The Wildcats (5-16) played a tight game with Madison and kept their offense in check the entire game in a 31-22 loss. The Yates Center girls (3-18) struggled to keep Rosalia Flint Hills away from the basket in their 63-29 loss.
Yates Center boys
MADISON — Though Yates Center kept the deficit margin within single digits and was often within striking distance to take the lead, the Wildcats could not come up with any big shots to change the momentum. The first time the Wildcats squared up with Madison, they lost by more than 20 points.
“This year was an example of how to deal with adversity,” said Yates Center head coach Lane Huffman. “Each week it felt like we had a new team because guys were constantly in and out with injuries. Despite that, our whole team worked to get better and compete.”
Cash Cummings and Garrett Audiss each banked in layups in the first quarter to keep their Yates Center squad within three points of Madison, 7-4. Devin Sarchet and Jarrett Birk then each went for two-point baskets to pace the Wildcat scoring.
Yates Center kept its defensive intensity cranked up from the tip-off, limiting Madison to 15 points in the first half. Yates Center trailed Madison at halftime, 15-9.
“We knew that they were great defensively,” said Huffman. “We had to match their intensity on defense. Our guys accepted the challenge and kept the score low, and the game was well within reach. They outplayed us by a point or two each quarter, but I felt we were right there, we just needed to make a few buckets and didn’t.”
Cummings kept it close for Yates Center in the second half when he hit a three, accompanied by a Sarchet layup. Cummings added four more points in the fourth quarter, including a couple of layups, and Sarchet and Jayston Rice each scored two-point baskets.
The scoring kept the Wildcats in the game, but they ultimately fell by nine, 31-22.
Yates Center was led offensively by Cummings’ seven points, Sarchet’s five points and Birk’s three.
Yates Center (8/1-3-12—22) (FG/3pt-FT-F—TP): Sarchet 3-0-3-6, Cummings 2/1-2-2-9, Birk 1-1-1-3, George 0-0-2-0, Audiss 1-0-1-2, Rice 1-0-3-2.
Yates Center girls
ROSALIA — The Lady Wildcats were overwhelmed by Rosalia Flint Hills’ sharp shooting in the 63-29 loss.
Paige Corter led Flint Hills with 21 points, nine of which were delivered on three-point baskets. Yates Center couldn’t match the offensive intensity and scored a quarter-high of 10 points in the third.
