CHETOPA — Yates Center High School’s basketball teams swept Chetopa on Tuesday night behind two big performances. Sean Hurst’s double-double led the boys to a 56-24 win while Callyn Miller’s 16-point night propelled the girls to a 33-24 win.
A dominating performance from the boys began from the tip-off as the defense held Chetopa in check early, limiting chances and points. While the defense was doing its job, the offense got hot and rode a wave of momentum all night.
By the halftime break, the Wildcats led 37-8.
After the break, Yates Center’s defense held serve, while the offense went back to doing its thing.
Hurst and his teammates continued to dominate throughout the third quarter.
The roles were reversed in the fourth quarter, as Chetopa’s offense came to life while Yates Center cooled its jets a little down the stretch. Chetopa got into double digits for the only time in the fourth, with 14 points in the quarter to make the game a little closer.
Hurst’s 19 points and 11 rebounds led the way for the Wildcats. Cash Cummings had nine. Jack King scored eight. Jayston Rice had five and five rebounds. Caleb Hegwald also had five. Blake Audiss and Emmett Brittain each had four. Emmit George had two with six rebounds.
The girls had an up-and-down night en route to their win. Chetopa kept it close early as both teams found their rhythm. Luckily, for Wildcat fans, Yates Center found its first.
The defense stepped up in the second quarter, allowing the offense to begin to build a lead behind Miller’s eight first-half points.
Going into the break, the Wildcats led 16-12.
While the defense for Yates Center was sound in the first half, it clamped down in the third quarter, allowing only two points, while the offense had its best quarter of the night, propelled by Miller’s six points.
Chetopa mounted a charge in the fourth, outscoring the Wildcats 10-6, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the hole dug by the Indians in the third quarter, coming up just a little short.
Miller’s 16 points led the way. Morgan Collins scored six. Allison Chrisman contributed five. Grace Westerman had four. Hannah Jones had two.
Yates Center is 3-10 and is on a two-game winning streak. The Wildcats return Friday at home against Northeast.
