BRODHEAD — Albany and Brodhead High Schools came together for a cause on Nov. 27. The two schools held a silent auction for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and dedicated a double-header of boys and girls varsity games in honor of Type-1 Diabetes patients Tenley Doescher and Austin Moe. Doescher is the daughter of Albany girls coach Derik Doescher, while Moe is a Brodhead junior and decorated athlete, and the brother of Kiarra Moe on the girls basketball team.
Brodhead swept the basketball contests, with the girls winning 45-35 in a defensive battle, while the boys ran away with a 104-46 victory.
Albany’s boys team came out with the strategy of launching quick 3-pointers in hopes of staying with the bigger, faster, stronger Cardinals. However, just one attempt dropped in the opening five minutes of the game, and coupled with a slew of turnovers and fast break points, Brodhead jumped out to a 25-3 lead at the 13:36 mark.
By halftime, Brodhead led 61-23. Owen Leifker scored 24 of his game-high 28 points in the first half, including three 3-pointers. Josiah Engen had 15 points — 13 in the first half. Freshman Cullen Walker and senior Colton Buttke each had 10 points, while senior Brady Malkow finished with a double-double (10 points, 14 rebounds). Gage Boegli added four points and nine boards, and Aidyn Vondra tallied nine points and six rebounds. Sy Weeden and Bryce Tway each scored seven points.
The Cardinals shot 55% from the floor (44 of 79) and grabbed 55 rebounds with 11 steals. They also assisted 20 times. With 2:55 to play, Jaxon Dooley hit a pair of free throws to put Brodhead into triple digits.
Carson Brewer led Albany with 18 points — 9 in each half. James Schwartz added 13 points, including three 3s. The Comets hit six 3s, five 2s and were 6-for-6 at the free throw line.
In the girls game, Abbie Dix scored 19 points and Kiarra Moe added 15 for Brodhead, which slowly climbed out to a 16-8 lead halfway through the first half.
A quick 7-0 run by Albany brought it back to within a point at 16-15 with 3:08 to play in the first, but Onnikah Oliver buried a 3-pointer to push it back to a two-score game. A free throw by Kaiya Zurfluh and a basket in the paint by Alana Durtschi again brought it to a 1-point game, but Moe hit a jumper and Sophia Leitzen drove to the hoop in the final minute to give Brodhead a 23-18 advantage at the break.
Albany never got back to within five points in the second half.
Brodhead finished 7 of 9 from the free throw line and hit six 3s as a team. Albany was just 5 of 17 from the charity stripe and knocked down just two triples.
The Comets (1-3) are in the middle of a three-game skid, having lost to Belleville, Belmont and Brodhead since an opening-day win at Benton. It is the first time since February of 2018 — four seasons ago — that Albany has lost three straight games. Albany will get a chance to reverse that trend Dec. 3 with a nonconference home game against Palmyra-Eagle. The first Six Rivers East game is slated for Dec. 9 at Black Hawk.
Brodhead (4-0) were set to host Milton Nov. 30, then travel to Clinton Dec. 2 before hosting McFarland Dec. 7.
Girls Basketball
Cambridge 44,
Black Hawk 41
CAMBRIDGE — The Warriors opened the season with a tough loss, giving up a 16-point halftime lead to the Blue Jays Nov. 27. Black Hawk took a 30-14 lead into halftime, but were outscored 30-11 in the second half.
Raylin Peterson led all scorers with 19 points for the Warriors. Tara Wellnitz added seven points and 10 rebounds. The Warriors were 7 of 20 from 3-point range. Evansville was led in scoring by Mayah Holzhueter, who had 17 points and nine rebounds.
In other area girls basketball action, New Glarus defeated Evansville 62-50, while Pecatonica lost to Belmont 57-34.
Boys Basketball
New Glarus 61, Evansville 59
EVANSVILLE — The Glarner Knights outrebounded the Blue Devils 32-23, and worked the ball inside much of the night to pull out a close victory Nov. 27.
New Glarus was just 2-for-6 from deep and 7-for-12 from the line, but hit 19 shots from inside the arc. Dain Walter led the way with 16 points and AC Strok added 14. Jack Parman and Carter Siegenthaler each had eight points.
Evansville was 19 of 26 from the stripe and 6 of 13 from deep, however made just five shots from 2-point range. New Glarus led 31-22 at halftime.
In other boys basketball action, Cambridge defeated Black Hawk 59-37, while Warren beat Pecatonica 58-47.
