The Deshler Dragons will head out on the road to challenge the McCool Junction Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Deshler has struggled recently with three defeats in a row, while McCool Junction will arrive with three straight wins.
Deshler fought the good fight in their overtime matchup against Pike Valley on Saturday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Panthers by a score of 56-53. While the Dragons didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Panthers 10-6 in the first quarter.
The loss doesn't tell the whole story though, as several players had good games. One of the most active was Teagan Webber, who shot 40% from the field to rack up 14 points along with seven boards and seven steals. Molley Drohman was another key player, putting up 17 points.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Mustangs last Thursday. McCool Junction blew past Meridian 60-20. With McCool Junction ahead 32-10 at the half, the game was all but over already.
McCool Junction's win came from a few key players that Deshler will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Claire Brugger, who almost dropped a double-double with 17 points and nine steals. She has become a key player for McCool Junction: the team is undefeated when she posts at least three steals, but 2-3 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Natalie Clark, who went 5-for-12 en route to 15 points and six rebounds.
McCool Junction smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 22 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Meridian only pulled down two.
McCool Junction's victory bumped their record up to 8-3. As for Deshler, their loss dropped their record down to 4-7.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Deshler has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 33.2 boards per game. However, it's not like McCool Junction struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 31.5 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Deshler strolled past McCool Junction when the teams last played back in January of 2025 by a score of 53-38. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Dragons since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
