Holdrege, Neb. – The Dusters hosted Lexington on Tuesday night and came away with two big wins. The Holdrege girls are now above .500 again after defeating the Minutemaids 59-16, while the Holdrege boys were able to end their losing streak by winning 60-26 over the Minutemen.
In the girls game, Holdrege was able to use some tough defense and efficient shooting to catapult their way to the win. The Dusters held Lexington to just five second-half points while scoring 33 in the final two quarters. Senior Avery Hurlbert led the charge offensively with 13 points, and junior Keeley Vaughn was close behind with 11. The Duster offense had nine players get in on the scoring.
It was another tough outing for the Minutemaids, however. The game started off well enough with junior Kianna Clouse scoring seven points in the first half. Despite a few scoring opportunities, Lexington was held in check by an unrelenting Holdrege defense. Junior Hannah Scharff was able to get open but could only turn that into four points in the second half.
Lexington fell to 0-7 on the year and will have to wait until after the NSAA moratorium to try again for their first win. Holdrege improved to 4-3 and look for their third-straight win when the 7-0 Sidney Red Raiders travel to the Duster Dome on Thursday.
The second game of the night offered more of the same for the Dusters as the boys cruised to the victory. Holdrege was able to shake off a relatively slow first quarter to open up a commanding halftime lead. Junior Garret Johnson scored 15 points in the first half and finished with a game-high 24 overall. Coy Swanson finished with 13 points. The Dusters used a number of scoring runs paired with a physical defensive effort to keep the Minutemen at bay. Holdrege finished with nine total three pointers.
Lexington worked hard and fast to try and keep pace with the Dusters but couldn’t keep it close. Seniors Isaiah Ellingson and Jante Miller had eight points each and stayed active throughout the contest. The Mintuemen were unable to consistently find the net, despite their best efforts.
Lexington fell to 1-6 while Holdrege improved to 3-4. On Thursday, the Dusters will face the Sidney boys who, like their female counterparts, also stand at 7-0.
The Duster Dome will once again be open for business on Thursday, December 21, when Holdrege welcomes the Red Raiders. Girls tipoff will be at 5:30 pm ahead of the boys game. KUVR’s coverage will begin at 5:15.
