The Ainsworth Bulldogs will square off against the Hyannis Longhorns on Friday. The two teams have had a bumpy ride up to this point with three consecutive losses for Ainsworth and four for Hyannis.
Ainsworth is likely headed into the matchup with a focus on the second half, which is when things went downhill against Winside on Friday. The Bulldogs fell 56-50 to the Wildcats. While the Bulldogs didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Wildcats 10-6 in the first quarter.
Chris Fernandez
| 02/13/26 vs Winside | 53% |
| 02/10/26 @ Stuart | 50% |
| 01/30/26 @ Niobrara/Verdigre | 57% |
| 01/29/26 vs Niobrara/Verdigre | 55% |
Despite the loss, Ainsworth had strong showings from Jacob Ortner, who almost dropped a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds, and Chris Fernandez, who shot 53% from the field en route to 20 points and five boards. Fernandez is on a roll when it comes to shooting accuracy, as he's posted one of at least 50% in the last four games he's played.
Meanwhile, Hyannis came up short against Potter-Dix on Saturday and fell 59-46.
Ainsworth will need to focus on slowing down Evan Merrihew, one of several Hyannis players who made an impact when they last played. He posted 13 points along with seven boards and five steals. Beau Rice was another key player, putting up ten points and three blocks.
Ainsworth's defeat dropped their record down to 4-17. As for Hyannis, their loss dropped their record down to 12-10.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Ainsworth has been crashing the boards this season, having averaged 29 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Hyannis struggles in that department as they've been averaging 28 boards. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Ainsworth came up short against Hyannis in their previous matchup back in February of 2025, falling 51-47. Will the Bulldogs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
