Losses pile up for Panthers’ hoops teams

By NATE BEIER | For the County Line

The Royall boys and girls basketball teams have enjoyed some success this season after turning things around from a year ago.

The boys have surpassed last year’s win total, and the girls are just a win away from being better than last season. But last week both teams stumbled on their paths to resurgence, as the squads combined to go 1–4.

This week, more tests loom for the Panther boys as they try to maintain their hold on third place in the league. On Tuesday the team hosted Necedah in a battle of third-place teams. Both entered the game with identical 4–2 records in league play.

In an important league contest, the Panthers will travel to face rival Hillsboro on Friday. Hillsboro is 10–0 on the season and has been ranked second in Division 5 for most of the season.

The Royall girls will try to finish the season sweep of Cashton on Thursday. The Eagles have only just recently gone over the .500 mark on the season, but they are a game ahead of Royall in conference play.

BOYS

Bangor 71, Royall 58

The Panther boys trailed by 17 at halftime, but came alive in the second half against eighth-ranked Bangor on Jan. 21. Royall cut the deficit to just four at one point in the second half before Bangor strung together a series of shots to earn the win.

Seth Brown led all scorers with 17 points, but Dorian Keenan added 12 and Nick Murray 8 in the loss. Jack and Luke Reader each scored 16 in the win for the Cardinals.

Eleva-Strum 63, Royall 53

Brown and Keenan led Royall again on Saturday when the Panthers traveled to Eleva-Strum for a makeup game from late December, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Small Dairyland Conference-leading Cardinals.

Brown tallied 21 points and seven rebounds in the loss. Keenan scored 12. Eleva-Strum’s Matthew Higley put in 14 points, but a trio of 12-point efforts proved to be too much for the visiting Panthers.

GIRLS

Royall 44, Necedah 39

It took only three scoring players to outscore Necedah, but an entire team was needed to hold off the Cardinals’ offensive attack on Jan. 19.

Leading all scorers, Paige Hyer had 25 points, while teammates Kelsea Storkel added 10 and Nicole Miller 9 as the Panthers picked up their seventh win of the year and first sweep of a conference team this season.

Necedah’s Kristin Darnell and Lindsey Murphy each scored 11.

Hillsboro 47, Royall 23

A scoring drought that lasted 25 second-half possessions doomed Royall in its second game against Hillsboro this season. The Panthers, who trailed 20–15 at halftime, were outscored and outrebounded by Hillsboro throughout the game.

Hillsboro finished with 37 boards to Royall’s 22. Shelby Levy led the way with 8 rebounds; Sydney Johnson added 7.

For Royall, Lauren Miller led with 8 points, and Ally Stanek and Paige Hyer each added 4. Morgan Huntley tallied 15 to lead the opposition, plus Johnson chimed in for 10 and Levy 8.

Eleva-Strum 30, Royall 29

The Panthers traveled to Eleva-Strum Central High School for a makeup game with the Cardinals on Saturday, Jan. 23. However, Royall relinquished a three-point halftime lead and trailed by as many as seven in the second half.

Royall rallied, however, as Nicole Miller landed back-to-back three-pointers to cut the deficit to 1. Keslea Storkel drew a foul and went 2–2 at the free-throw line to help Royall take a 29–28 lead. But Eleva-Strum had more than enough time to run its offenseand finish with a successful shot by Josie Olson inside the paint to take a 30–29 lead with 13 seconds left to play. Royall’s last attempt to change the score hit the front of the rim, but wouldn’t fall through.

The Cardinals (6–8) outscored Royall 19–15 in the second half to take their second straight win against RHS.

Nicole Miller scored 14 to lead all scorers. Emily Olsen added 6; and McKenzie Baeseman, 5. Jenna Booth led Eleva-Strum with 11.

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