Cyclones Split Series With Wausa On Thursday Night

Clearwater-Orchard hosted Wausa on Thursday night, to mixed results.

The boys got a strong victory to head into the conference tournament on a high note. They topped the Vikings 65-27. After scoring just nine points in the first quarter, O-C put up 22 points in the second frame to launch them to the victory. 

Three Cyclones ended the night in double figures, led by 18 from Jacob Long on 8-of-14 shooting. As a whole, the Cyclones shot 51 percent from the floor. Liam Odell and Ryan Wilhelm put down 13 points each, with Wilhelm racking up 10 rebounds as well for his sixth double-double of the year. Blake Hoke added eight points and Gage Clifton had a season-high six points.

On the girls side of things, it wasn't quite the night that O-C hoped for. The Lady Cyclones fell 45-35 to Wausa as the Vikings mounted a second-half comeback. Clearwater-Orchard jumped out to a 15-11 lead after the first, extending it to 24-17 by half. But O-C managed just four points in the third quarter, allowing Wausa to take the lead and hold on to the end.

Brooklynn Chipps' nine points led the Cyclones. Three other Cyclones added seven: Allison Kerkman, Katie Stearns and Julia Thiele. The Cyclones did manage to outrebound Wausa 40-24, thanks in part to nine rebounds each from Stearns and Grace Rittscher.