Warhawks get past second round hurdle

SHEFFIELD—- The West Fork Warhawks boys basketball season continues after a 64-47 win over the Baxter Bolts in the second round of the Class 1 A region 3 tournament at home on Feb. 15. The Warhawks improved to 19-4 on the year. The win helped get the monkey off the back for the Warhawks as head coach Trent Trask said that in the last couple of years the second round of regionals has been a hurdle for the Warhawks.

“It feels great, it is kind of like getting a monkey off the back,” Trask said. “The kids played so well. The kids are aware the second round has kind of been a pain in the butt for them but the monkey is off our back and it feels good to win our last home game.”

A positive that the team can build off of for their semifinal game is how the Warhakes played physical against Baxter and another positive was how the team rebounded as the Warhawks had 35 total rebounds, including 23 defensive rebounds and 12 offensive rebounds.

“We really established the physicality right away,” Trask said. “I thought we did a good job overall rebounding and we had some really good inside game tonight.”

West Fork got off to a fast start as they took a 18-8 lead after the first quarter and after outscoring the Bolts 15-11 the Warhawks took a 33-19 lead into halftime. Baxter drew a little closer in the third quarter by outscoring the Warhawks 17-16 in the quarter to make it 49-36. But in the fourth quarter the Warhawks were able to keep in front by outscoring the Bolts 15-11.

On offense, the Warhawks shot 23-for-55 from the field including 5-for-11 from three-point range and 13-for-15 from the free-throw line. Cayde Eberling led the team with 23 points, Sage Suntken added 15 points, Jack Ward and Gavin Cronk both scored 10 points, and Levi Ruckdashel added six points. The team had 16 assists in the game, Eberling led the way with five assists, Ward added four assists, Edison Maske had three assists, Suntken added two assists, and Cronk and Cannen Vold added one assist each. 

On the glass, Cronk led the team with 11 rebounds to record a double-double and Suntken added 10 rebounds and also recorded a double-double. Eberling added four rebounds, Ruckdashel and Ward both added three rebounds, and Xavier Baptiste, AJ Andersen, Vold, and Maske all recorded one rebound.

The Warhawks were able to slam the door close in the fourth quarter and Trask said that it was good to see as in the past the Warhawks have allowed teams to win the fourth quarter against them.

“It was an emphasis going into that fourth quarter and we talked about having to win that quarter because we lost the third quarter,” Trask said. “We talked about how if we lost the fourth quarter that it might be a tough game and the kids executed well and took it to hear that they needed to win the fourth.”

With getting into the next round, Trask said that it is a relief for the team, especially the seniors on the squad.

“The guys feel good and we are enjoying it,” Trask said.

The team’s semifinal game was on Feb. 20. against Ankeny Christian.