Muckers Deal Bulldogs First Defeat of Season
The Muckers had a great weekend, coming out 3-1 between both varsity teams.
The boys beat the Coleville Wolves on Friday, Jan. 23 and the previously undefeated Smith Valley Bulldogs on Saturday, Jan. 24.
On Friday, the Muckers breezed past the Wolves 65-30, increasing their win streak to 5 games.
Heading into Saturday, the Muckers were huge underdogs as they had lost to the Bulldogs 26-64 just two weeks before. Not to mention losing to them in the state and regional championships last season.
As the game started, it was clear that the Muckers had a different intensity and hunger to win.
They headed into halftime with an 11-point lead and put their foot on the gas even more in the third quarter, leading by as much as 19.
The starting five for the Muckers didn’t get a single sub all game, and you could tell that was wearing on them as the Bulldogs made a run in the fourth quarter.
The boys held on, though, and won the game 59-56.
Key performers from the night were Derek McCoy, who posted 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 steals; and Luke Branson with 29 points, 5 steals, and 63% from the three-point line.
The Lady Muckers' weekend was a little different but still a success.
They had a tough game against the Lady Wolves on Friday, and despite Kaiya Krum’s 29 points, they lost 56-68.
Rolling into Saturday, the Ladies were in a similar situation as the boys. They lost to the Lady Bulldogs just two weeks ago and were seeking revenge at home.
After a tight first quarter, the Lady Muckers rallied with an impressive 16-6 second quarter, giving them great momentum heading into the second half.
They outscored the Lady Bulldogs in both the third and fourth quarters, ultimately giving them a 57-40 win.
This was in great part to Haylee Walters, who had one of the most impressive games of the season with 40 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 blocks.
Looking ahead, the Muckers have two big games this coming weekend, starting Friday, Jan. 30.
“This weekend's games mean everything for playoff seeding,” said head coach Clint Hess. “The goal is to come out of this weekend with a couple of wins and guarantee us home court advantage for the playoffs.”
They will travel to Hawthorne on Friday, Jan. 30 to play the Mineral County Serpents (Girls at 6 p.m. and boys at 7:30 p.m.), and then come home to play the Pyramid Lake Lakers on Saturday, Jan. 31 (Girls at 4 p.m. and boys at 5:30 p.m.).
Editor's Note: Congratulations Luke Branson for reaching 1,000 career points on Jan. 23 against the Coleville Wolves! Read Julia's article about his achievement: www.thecomstockchronicle.com/luke-branson-reaches-1-000-career-points-at-virginia-city/
