After a string of five wins, the Ainsworth Bulldogs's good fortune finally ran out on Saturday. They took a 46-40 hit to the loss column at the hands of Cozad. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Ainsworth has scored all season.
Ainsworth's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Carter Nelson, who scored eight points along with ten rebounds and five assists. Nelson is on a roll when it comes to blocks, as he's now posted two or more in the last three games he's played. Trey Appelt was another key contributor, dropping a double-double on 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Cozad found their leader in underclassman Olliver Davis, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 11 rebounds. That's the first time this season that Davis pulled down eight or more rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Chayden Hoffmaster, who scored seven points.
Ainsworth's loss dropped their record down to 5-1. As for Cozad, their win was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-0.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Ainsworth will be home for the holidays to greet Burwell on Tuesday. Burwell will have to bring their A-game into this one, as they are staring down a pretty big deficit in the MaxPreps Nebraska Rankings (they are ranked 262nd, while Ainsworth is ranked 56th). Cozad will be home for the holidays to greet Superior at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday.
