Spartans Complete Another Big Comeback as Emporia Sweeps Junction City in Regular Season Finale

Emporia High basketball claimed two wins at Junction City on Friday.
In the girls’ game, Emporia earned their second league win of the year 36-26.

The Lady Spartans used a 6-2 run to open the game and pulled ahead 10-7 after one. EHS gave up just one basket in the second as the lead grew to four, 14-10. Emporia went up 11 after three, 28-17.

Kaylee DeWitt led all scorers with 15.

It was a tough shooting night for Bill Nienstedt’s club, but they made up for it in other areas.

EHS improves to 8-15 (2-8). They begin Sub-State play on Wednesday, traveling to Kapaun Mt Carmel.

In the boys’ game, Emporia rallied from a 15-point deficit to secure the victory, 71-65.

Junction City closed the first quarter on a 12-2 run to grab a 19-16 lead. A back-and-forth second saw JC grow their lead to 27-22. A 15-5 Blue Jay run to start the third put Junction City up 15 while Emporia cut it to 50-38 to end the quarter. The Spartans stormed all the way back with a 33-point fourth quarter. Tanner Seidl hit the game-winning three with less than 30 seconds to play making it 68-65.

Rylan Crowell had a team-high 26. Terrick Franklin added 18.

Evan Burns was fired up after the comeback and thinks this could build momentum for the playoffs.