Diagonal splits with Mohawks

DIAGONAL — Bolting to a 19-5 lead in the first quarter, the Diagonal girls stayed unbeaten with a 53-37 victory over visiting Moravia Friday night.

The boys likewise started strong, taking a 20-10 lead over the Mohawks. But Moravia controlled the action in the second and third quarters to open up a 47-31 lead before holding off the Maroons at the end, 63-55. Af halftime of the boys game the 1988-89 boys team that went to the state tournament was honored.

In the girls contest, pressure defense leading to transition baskets helped the Maroonettes take the 14-point lead in the early going. By halftime, Moravia had climbed back into contention with a 23-17 deficit.

A layup by junior Erin Sobotka opened up a 10-point margin at 38-28 in the third quarter. The margin stayed in that range as Emily Newton sank two free throws with 1:11 left to seal the deal at 49-37.

Newton finished with a game-high 24 points. Sobotka had a strong floor game, finishing with four points, five steals and three assists. Kerrigan Mobley matched Newton with a pair of 3-pointers in scoring eight points. Center Bailey Taylor had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Diagonal coach Gina Warren said the team’s pressure defense was effective early, but the team stalled as the team encountered some foul issues with a full half to go.

“I let us off the gas a little bit because Bailey Taylor had gotten in some foul trouble and I wanted to protect her,” Warren said. “That kind of changed things and allowed them to get back into the game. We were shooting very well early.”

Diagonal improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Bluegrass Conference. Sophomore Kimberly Chandanais led a young Moravia team with 12 points. The Mohawks fell to 0-3 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Mor (37) — 5 12 12 8

Diag (53) — 19 4 15 15

MORAVIA (37) — (FG FT PTS) Kimberly Chandanais 5 1-1 12, Anaya Keith 3 0-0 8, Gentry Moss 3 0-0 7, Gracie Hoffman 1 0-0 2, Bailee Batterson 0 2-4 2, Jessica Self 1 0-0 2, Ronnie Cormeny 1 0-0 2. Totals — 13 3-5 37. 3-point goals — 4 (Keith 2, Moss 1, Chandanais 1). Team fouls — 15. Fouled out — None.

DIAGONAL (53) — (FG FT PTS) Emily Newton 9 4-6 24, Bailey Taylor 4 2-6 11, Kerrigan Mobley 3 0-0 8, Alee Haidsiak 3 0-0 6, Erin Sobotka 2 0-0 4. Totals — 21 6-12 53. 3-point goals — 5 (Newton 2, Mobley 2 Taylor 1). Rebounds — Taylor 11. Assists — Taylor 3, Sobotka 3. Steals — Sobotka 5, Newton 4. Team fouls — 11. Fouled out — None.

Boys fall

Both teams traded momentum bursts in the boys game, as the host Maroons zoomed to a 20-8 lead late in the first quarter.

The Mohawks squashed Diagonal’s early momentum with a 22-7 second quarter and 15-8 advantage in the third to hold a 47-35 lead entering the fourth quarter. At one point in the third quarter the Maroons trailed by 16 points (47-31).

Getting to the free throw line a lot in the fourth quarter allowed the Maroons to slowly creep back into contention. When Clayton Hansen sank a free throw with 3:30 to play the gap had shrunk to two at 52-50.

But seconds later Hansen fouled out, after starter Tyler Jarred fouled out earlier in the quarter, and Moravia was able to extend the lead by finishing on an 11-5 run.

“We lost two of our main creators on offense,” Diagonal coach Matt Warren said. “We had a nice crowd and I wish we could have pulled it out for them. They were behind us when we made a nice comeback. It would have been easy for us to pack it in when we got down 16. I was proud of the guys for fighting back.”

The Maroons coach said the team played well in the first quarter.

“We were getting good ball movement on offense,” Warren said. “Guys were driving into the lane and kicking it out, creating open shots for each other. Then in the second quarter we got a little stagnant, standing around more on offense and taking some wild shots.”

Gradually, Diagonal got back into the game in the final period, going on a 13-5 run starting at the 6:36 mark.

“We switched to man-to-man and I think that helped on rebounding a little bit,” Warren said. “Then they were fouling us and putting us on the line. We shot 16 for 21 at the line and I’ll take that any day.”

Junior Kade Klommhaus led Diagonal with 25 points and 17 rebounds. Hansen contributed 13 points and four rebounds as the Maroons fell to 1-4 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Moravia improved to 4-1 and 2-1.

UP NEXT — The Diagonal teams travel to Melcher-Dallas today (Tuesday) before hosting Lamoni for homecoming on Friday.

Mor (63) — 10 22 15 16

Diag (55) — 20 7 8 20

MORAVIA (63) — (FG FT PTS) Totals — 19 13-22 63. Brendan Gray 7 1-3 16, Carson Brown 3 4-4 12, Brett Cormeny 5 2-2 12, Hunter Arbogast 4 1-4 10, Brady Bickel 2 2-3 6, Casey Smith 2 1-2 5, Chace Hamilton 0 2-4 2. 3-point goals — 4 (Brown 2, Gray 1, Arbogast 1). Team fouls — 18. Fouled out — None.

DIAGONAL (55) — (FG FT PTS) Totals — 18 16-21 55. Kade Klommhaus 8 9-13 25, Clayton Hansen 4 5-6 13, Cole Mobley 2 0-0 6, Tyler Jarred 1 2-2 4, Will Strange 2 0-0 4, Skyler Stamps 1 0-0 3. 3-point goals — 3 (Mobley 2, Stamps 1). Rebounds — Klommhaus 17, Hansen 4. Assists — Strange 2. Steals — Jarred 1, Mobley 1. Team fouls — 18. Fouled out — Hansen, Jarred.