Victoria Splits at Ellis

GIRLS: Victoria 54, Ellis 50

BOYS: Ellis 63, Victoria 36

ELLIS-Melany Huser scored a game-high 20 points as the Victoria Lady Knights recovered from letting a 12-point first half lead get away to defeat Ellis Tuesday evening 54-50 in a non-league battle between schools from Ellis County.  The Ellis Boys started fast on their way to a 63-36 win over Victoria in the nightcap.

In the Girls game, the first quarter was fairly even before the Lady Knights finished with a 9-2 run to lead 17-12 after the first eight minutes.  The Lady Knights then opened the second period with a 7-0 surge to build up their largest lead of the night at 24-12.  However, Ellis stormed back with a 9-2 run of its own to end the half trailing 26-21 at intermission.  

Much of the third quarter was spent by the teams answering each other' basket for basket but the Lady Railers cut Victoria's lead to 40-38.  Ellis then used some timely field goals to kick-start an 8-4 run to start the final period only to see Victoria answer with a game-ending 10-4 run to secure the victory in their first game after wining the Championship of the Hoisington Winter Jam last weekend. 

It was Huser who sealed the deal for the Lady Knights (8-4).  After missing the front end of a one and one with seven seconds left, she got her own rebound and laid the ball in to give Victoria its final four-point margin.  Joining Huser in double figures for the Lady Knights was Kassi Weber with 11 points.  Grace Eck led the Lady Railers (7-5) with 18 points while Emily Eck added 11.

After Victoria scored the first two points of the Boys contest on a basket by Kyle Pickering, Ellis ripped off seven straight points on their way to a 16-9 advantage after the first quarter.  The Railers then knocked down five of their nine three-pointers for the game in the second stanza to stretch the lead to 37-21 at halftime.

After that, Ellis pulled away and much of the fourth quarter was played with a running clock.  

Pickering led Victoria (4-7) with 15 points while leading scorer Jason Karst added 12.  Brady Frickey led Ellis (9-3) with 16 points and the Railer senior scored his 1,000th career point during the second half.  Also in double figures for Ellis was Daniel Eck with 14 points.

Victoria returns to Central Prairie League play on Friday at home with a doubleheader against LaCrosse while Ellis moves back into Mid Continent League action by hosting a twinbill with Norton.