The Ansley/Litchfield Spartans can finally bid farewell to their ten-game losing streak thanks to their game on Saturday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Axtell and snuck past 32-29. The victory was just what Ansley/Litchfield needed coming off of a 65-32 defeat in their prior contest.
Ansley/Litchfield got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Kerry Ryan out in front who scored six points along with nine rebounds and four blocks. Ryan hasn't dropped below two steals for three straight games. Another player making a difference was Bailey Hawkins, who scored eight points along with 13 rebounds.
Despite the defeat, Axtell saw an underclassman step up: Emily Danburg scored 19 points along with nine rebounds and two steals. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Danburg has scored all season. Kassidy Wehrer was another key contributor, scoring two points along with eight rebounds.
Ansley/Litchfield's victory bumped their record up to 3-13. As for Axtell, they have traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost 11 of their last 12 matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 2-15 record this season.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Ansley/Litchfield will have some time to savor their victory since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on Arcadia/Loup City at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Nebraska (Arcadia/Loup City is ranked 241st, while Ansley/Litchfield is ranked 252nd). Axtell will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Loomis at 6:25 p.m. on Tuesday. Hopefully Loomis focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 19 on Friday.
