Madison and Olpe traded wins on the tip off of the 2019-2020 Area Game of the Week basketball season Tuesday evening.
The Olpe Lady Eagles would control the pace from the start of the game dominating the Madison Lady Bulldogs 74-16. Olpe would jump out to an early lead and held Madison scoreless through the majority of the first half to take a 49-9 lead into the locker room.
The Lady Eagles would continue the offensive pressure holding Madison to just five total points in the second half. Olpe had three players score in double digits. Junior Hattie Fischer led all scorers with 16 points while Marley Heins and Neleh Davis both finished the night with 12.
Head Coach Jesse Nelson says sound fundamentals have been the key to his team’s success in the early part of the season.
Madison was led in scoring by freshman Yolaine Luthi with nine points. With the win the Lady Eagles improve to 5-0 on the season while Madison falls to 1-4.
In the boys game, both teams would trade the lead throughout the game but the Madison Bulldogs would eventually come out on top 48-46 over the Eagles.
Olpe would open the scoring in the first before Madison managed to tie the game and eventually over take the lead 12-9 a the end of the first. In the second Olpe would narrowly outscore Madison 13-10 but would not be able to regain the lead as both teams went into the locker room tied at 22.
In the third, Madison would begin to pull away before Olpe would retake the lead early in the fourth quarter before falling behind once again. Despite coming within one point to tying the score late in the fourth, a turnover by the Eagles with four seconds left would see Madison narrowly clinch the win.
Madison had four players reach double digits as junior Kelton Beuttner led the Bulldogs with 11 points. Juniors Ryan Wolgram and Chase Harrison and sophomore Drew Stutesman all ended the night with 10 points.
This was the first victory for Madison over Olpe in the past eight years. Madison Head Coach Brett Dannels says it was a special win.
The Eagles had three players reach double digits. Sophomores Derek Hoelting and Damon Redeker each had 11 points while junior Jordan Barnard had 10.
The Bulldogs are now 5-0 on the season while the Eagles fall to 3-2.
AREA SCORES:
Lebo 44 Burlingame 35 – girls
Lebo 46 Burlingame 36 – boys
Waverly 67 Southern Coffey County 26 – girls
Waverly 58 Southern Coffey County 38 – boys
Mission Valley 44 Chase County 31 – boys
Burlington 44 Iola 36 – girls
Burlington 62 Iola 49 – boys
