Falcons split a pair in EWC action

KIEL – Despite mounting a furious fourth quarter rally, Sheboygan Falls Falcons fell to the Kiel Raiders 64-60 in Eastern Wisconsin Conference boys basketball action Friday, Feb. 5.

Zach Berg, who carried the Falcons back into contention in the fourth quarter after falling behind 18-1 in the first quarter, scored a career-high 20 points, with six 3-point field goals.

The loss dropped Falls to 4-6 in the Eastern Wisconsin Conference (9-8 overall), while Kiel improved to 7-3 in the EWC (10-5 overall).

The Falcons went on a 16-6 run to start the fourth quarter aided by a pinpoint 3-point shooting attack.

Kiel led 47–37 to start the quarter, but Falls climbed back into the game, behind 3-point bombs from junior Nick Roelse, senior Lewis Halverson and Berg to cut the lead to 53-50, with 3:52 left in the game.

The Falcons had a problem stopping Kiel’s offensive machine Brandon Gries, who was able to pick the Raiders up whenever they needed him. He scored 10 of his game-high 31 points, with the game on the line in the fourth quarter.

With Kiel holding a 56-53 lead, Roelse scored on a nice pass down under from senior Spencer Hurlburt to make it 56-55. Kiel’s Joey Burris answered by hitting a jumper to push the lead to 58-55.

Berg then wowed the crowd with his sixth 3-pointer of the night to tie the game at 58-58, with two minutes to go.

The Raiders pushed the lead to 61-58 with 1:01 left on a big shot from Derek Meyer.

But back came Falls, as Dan Duda found Alex Grabowski in the paint to make it 61-60.

Burris rescued the Raiders again with a basket to give them a 63-60 lead, with 38 seconds left in the game.

With eight seconds left, the Falcons went to Berg, who found an opening, but his shot wouldn’t go down.

“Our intensity level was better in the second half,” said Berg. “We have to come out and play a full game,” said Hurlburt.

A rough start hurt Falls the most, as they fell behind 18-3 to start the game. Kiel’s Gries and Burris were unstoppable and the Falcons couldn’t make a basket.

“Shooting can be contagious in both ways,” remarked Falcons coach Eric Spielman. “We needed to prove we can play with these teams. The momentum was there in the second half, but we came up short.”

After falling behind 27-7 in the second quarter, Roelse went to work, scoring eight points to trim the gap to 27-17, with 1:50 left in the first half.

Berg made three 3-pointers in the third quarter, as the Falcons kept within distance of the Raiders 47-37, after three periods of play.

Roelse finished with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Halverson made four assists.

Falls nailed 12 3-pointers to topple the Kewaskum Indians 76-50 in an EWC contest Tuesday, Feb. 2, in Sheboygan Falls.

Berg knocked down three 3-point shots to lead the Falcons scorers with 15 points. Roelse finished with 14 points, including two 3-pointers, eight rebounds and six assists.

Duda and Halverson also had two 3-pointers, while Grabowski connected for nine points and seven boards. Falls shot 50 percent (12-24) from the 3-point arc.

“Berg gave us a big lift after a slow start,” stated Spielman. “I started all seniors, but we shot the ball better in the second and third quarters.”

Spielman felt Roelse did a nice job passing the ball around.

The Falls junior varsity team split two games, as Kiel stopped Falls 55-40, before the Falcons dropped Kewaskum 44-36 to go to 4-6 in the EWC (9-7 overall).

Aaron Krueger scored 14 points and Ryan Kryst added 10 points against Kewaskum.

Jacob Tenpas continues to put up big numbers, as the Falls freshman improved to 9-1 in the EWC (11-2 overall).

Tenpas dropped in 14 points to spur the Falcons to a 50-38 win over Kiel. Sean McKinster put up 11 points for the Falcons. Coach Paul Houwers said Max Hilbert did a great job rebounding.

Tenpas corralled 18 points, as Falls downed Kewaskum 49-39. Jake Hucke scored 13 points. “Hucke gave us the offensive energy we needed,” said Houwers.

BOYS

BASKETBALL

SHEBOYGAN FALLS 60 KIEL

64

Score by Quarters Sheboygan Falls…..3 21 13 23 - 60 Kiel…………………...18 16 13 17 - 64

Sheboygan Falls scorers: Alex Grabowski 7, Dan Duda 2, Andy Ansay 2, Lewis Halverson 9, Zach Berg 20, Nick Roelse 17, Spencer Hurlburt 3.

Kiel scorers: Isaiah Herzog 7, Joey Burris 12, DJ Driscoll 5, Sam Moehring 1, Brandon Gries 31, Derek Meyer 6, Peter Kraus 2.

Three-point goals: Sheboygan Falls -Berg 6, Roelse, Hurlburt, Halverson. Kiel - Gries 2, Herzog. Statistics: Sheboygan Falls - field goals 23-51 (47 percent), free throws 5-7 (71 percent), rebounds 33, turnovers 11. Kiel - field goals 26, free throws 9-12 (75 percent).

Score by Quarters Kewaskum……………..7 17 12 14 - 50 Sheboygan Falls……17 22 21 16 - 76

Kewaskum scorers: Brett Nuerenburg 21, Cody Lemke 1, CJ Bowe 11, Jacob O’Brien 2, Romeo Johnson 3, Lucas Kopeschka 4, Brian Bottleman 4, Ryan Gibson 4.

Sheboygan Falls scorers: Alex Grabowski 9, Jason Fenner 5, Dan Duda 6, Andy Ansay 4, Mitch Thimmig 3, Lewis Halverson 8, Matt Hasler 8, Zach Berg 15, Nick Roelse 14, Spencer Hurlburt 4.

Three-point goals: Kewaskum - Bowe 3, Nuerenburg 2. Sheboygan Falls - Berg 3, Duda 2, Halverson 2, Roelse 2, Hasler, Hurlburt, Thimmig.

Statistics: Kewaskum - field goals 17, free throws 11-19 (58 percent). Sheboygan Falls - field goals 24-51 (47 percent), free throws 16-25 (64 percent), rebounds _______________________ 35, turnovers 10.