On Friday night Kalida came into the Putnam County league game needing a win to finish off their PCL season undefeated. Although the final score shows a 19 point win the game was a lot closer taking into account the Wildcats finished the game on an 8 point run. The Wildcats started the night by scoring the first 6 points with a pair of baskets and a pair of free throws. The Pirates would get on the board with a 3 from Mason Rayle. Wildcats 6-3. A 3 by the Wildcats would be matched by another 3 from Rayle. Wildcats 9-6. A 6 point run by the Wildcats opened up a 9 point Wildcat lead 15-6. Konnor Knipp Williams would stop the run with a basket for the Pirates 15-8. A pair of Wildcat free throws made it 17-8 and it looked like the teams would head to the bench with that score when the Pirates missed a last second three. Pirate Brady Thomsen gathered the rebound and put it in with the clock buzzing. Wildcats 17-10.
The second quarter was one of opportunities that neither team could take advantage of. The second quarter was a defensive battle with the first points scored with 4:20 left on the clock. The Wildcats would take the quarter 6-2 with the Pirates getting a basket from Knipp Williams. Wildcats 23-12.
The Wildcats would put in the first 2 points of the second half to take a 13 point lead 25-12. The Pirates would get a 3 from Rayle to make it a 10 point game 25-15. A Wildcat 3 would put the Wildcat lead at 14, 28-15. Rayle would hit another 3 to make it 28-18. A pair of Wildcat baskets was followed by a Knipp Williams basket Wildcatas 32-20. A Wildcat basket and a Rayle 3, his 5th of the night, would make it Wildcats 34-23. The teams exchanged basket with Knipp William hitting for the Pirates. Wildcats 36-25 after 3. The start of the fourth would have both teams scoring 5 points with the Pirates getting a basket from Thomsen and a 3 from Jonathon Etter. Wildcats 41-30. The Wildcats would close the game with the final 8 points for a 49-30, Wildcat final.
Mason Rayle was the game’s leading scorer with 15 points. Konnor Knipp Williams put in 8 points, Brady Thomsen had 4 and Jonathon Etter 3. Continental made six 3s. Rayle put in five 3s while Jonathon Etter added 1. Continental was 0-2 from the line while the Wildcats were 12-13.
Continental falls to 8-11 (3-3 PCL), Kalida improves to 16-4 (7-0 PCL). Kalida won the JV game 37-22. The game was broadcast on WPMN.
–Mike Jones, Sportswriter
