TOWANDA, Kan.—
A battle between rivals and league foes faced off on Tuesday night as Circle hosted Augusta. The two towns are only separated by six miles and Circle’s gym was filled with both T-Bird and Oriole fans.After losing to Abilene in a nail biter 32-29 last Friday, the Lady Orioles wanted to pick up their first win of the season against rival Circle who was 2-1 entering the game. The Lady Thunderbirds won 44-26 over Douglass on the last day of the T-Bird Classic. Circle started slow, but ended up winning the game 54-29 to improve to 3-1 on the season.
Augusta started the game on a 5-0 run, but Circle quickly recovered to take a 6-5 as they went on a 6-0 run. Augusta had the lead after one quarter 9-8.
“We got down early but we fought adversity,” Circle Coach Brian Henry said.
The second quarter was where Circle did most of the damage, outscoring the Lady Orioles 17-3 in the quarter to be up 25-12 at halftime.
Circle continued their dominance leading 43-19 after the third and outscoring the Lady Orioles 11-10 in the fourth quarter to put it away.
“We did a good job tonight on the defensive side of the ball,” Henry said. “We are trying to play up-tempo our press has really been working for us.”
Two players scoring in double-figures for the Lady T-Birds was Talia Highbarger with 12 points and Allison Kirkham with 11 points.
Augusta was led in scoring by Casady Marlnee with 7 points.
“Clearwater is next for us and it will be a tough task for us, because they knocked us out of sub-state on a last second basket,” Henry said. “We are going to have to have some momentum going there and playing them.”
Circle (3-1, 1-0) will travel to Clearwater on Friday, while Augusta (0-3, 0-1) will host Andale on Friday. Both games will be AVTCL league games.
Augusta boys pick up first win over rival Circle
After losing 64-50 on Friday to Abilene at home, the Orioles of Augusta looked forward to Tuesday night’s contest with rival Circle. Both teams were coming in with 0-3 records, as Circle lost to Douglass on Saturday 63-59. Augusta was the first to pick up its first win in a 67-50 showing against the T-Birds to improve to 1-3 on the season.
Both teams fought back-and-forth to start, but a 10-0 run helped Augusta go up 21-11 at the end of the first quarter. Augusta led 34-27 at halftime.
Circle showed some life to start the third quarter going on a 6-0 run for four minutes and cut the deficit to one at 34-33, but Augusta’s Chase Winter scored a basket and was fouled to make the lead 37-33. Augusta led by nine points at the end of the third quarter 48-39.
Over the halfway point in the quarter with 4:06 to play, Augusta’s Connor Hurst scored a basket and was fouled. Then, a double technical was called against Circle’s Dominic Lara and he was immediately ejected from the game. Hurst went to the line for five free throws and then Kenton Trebbe shot two more.
The double technical really hurt Circle, as Augusta pulled away at the end to win by 17 points.
“We played really hard and it was hard to pull out this win on the road against Circle,” Augusta Coach David Stephenson said. “It was great to see that the scoring was balanced tonight and that’s how it should be.”
Augusta was led in scoring by Chase Winter’s game-high 15 points, Kolten Schanke and Trebbe each added 14 points, and Hurst had 12 points. Circle was led in scoring by Stewart Dennnison with 12 points and Braden Kirkpatrick added 11 points.
“We got to make shot, Andale is going to be bigger than us and more physical,” Stephenson said.
Augusta (1-3, 1-0) will host Andale on Friday, while Circle (0-4, 0-1) will travel to Clearwater on Friday.
