PREP BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Peetz boys take 3rd at district

The Peetz Bulldogs boys' basketball team finished its season on an up note as it defeated Heritage Christian 50-38 in the 1A North Central third-place game on Saturday evening at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo.

The Bulldogs were sent to the consolation bracket after top-seeded Fleming toppled them 78-50 in a Friday semifinal. With the weekend split, Peetz season ended with a 13-9 record.

Fleming, which dropped the championship game to Prairie (15-7) on Saturday night, finished its season at 16-4 while Heritage Christian bowed out at 11-11.

The Bulldogs broke open a close game in the second half of their contest with Heritage Christian. Though leading by just a field goal (20-18) after the opening 16 minutes, Peetz edged the Eagles 10-8 in the third quarter and secured the win with a 20-12 edge in the final eight minutes.

Garrin Cox proved a strong force in the middle as he dropped in a game-high 19 points to go along with nine rebounds. Cody Wilson added 12 points and eight boards while Bradey Holtz rattled the strings for seven points. Holtz added eight rebounds, six assists and three steals.

In the semifinal game, Fleming largely settled the issue in the first half with a 24-9 advantage after one quarter. By the half the margin reached 25 at 44-19.

Casey Barrett finished the game with 16 points with Wilson (13) and Holtz (10) also reaching double figures. Wilson and Jordan Nelson collected the most rebounds for the Bulldogs with five each. Holtz dished out seven assists.

Crawford 49, Leyton 42

After two blowout wins during the regular season, there were probably more than a few observers who thought the Leyton Lady Warriors would have no chance against the Crawford Lady Rams in Friday's District D2-6 finals.

Though the Rams escaped with a 49-42 win at Alliance High School to earn a berth at state, the Warriors made them earn every point. Despite trailing by as many as 10 points on two occasions in the second half, the Warriors managed to tie the game at 42 with two minutes left. Unfortunately, a pair of late three pointers by Crawford sealed the Warriors' fate.

"Throughout the week, I could see the attitude of the girls was that they could win and they showed up with that same mindset," said Warriors head coach Nick Newkirk. "It's pretty disappointing to be so close and not get there. But I'm so proud of the way these girls fought and continued to believe in themselves."

Based on past history, keeping a positive attitude must have been a challenge. On Dec. 6, the Rams drubbed Leyton 56-30 in Dalton. The result was even more humbling on Jan. 31, when Crawford defended their home gym with a 65-29 triumph.

"I don't know if they took us too lightly or not, but our girls showed them plenty of fight," Newkirk said.