Udall hasn't had much luck against Belle Plaine recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Eagles will square off against the Dragons at 7:00 p.m. Udall has given up an average of 59.8 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Udall and Pretty Prairie meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Tuesday. The Eagles rang in the new year with a 69-56 victory over the Bulldogs. The Eagles' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Jordan Hornecker
| 01/06/26 @ Pretty Prairie | 8 |
| 02/11/25 vs Oxford | 5 |
| 01/31/25 vs West Elk | 5 |
| 01/14/25 @ Caldwell | 5 |
| 12/17/24 @ Norwich | 5 |
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Udall to victory, but perhaps none more so than Jordan Hornecker, who went 6-for-15 to rack up 15 points along with eight assists and four steals. Those eight assists gave Hornecker a new career-high. Jace Harness was another key player, shooting 55% from beyond the arc en route to 23 points.
They weren't the only ones working in the assist department: Udall was working as a unit and finished the game with 14 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Belle Plaine opened the new year with a less-than-successful 47-37 defeat to Conway Springs. The loss continues a trend for the Dragons in their meetings with the Cardinals: they've now lost seven in a row.
Udall will need to focus on slowing down Ryder Slack, one of several Belle Plaine players who made an impact when they last played. He went 5-for-11 on his way to 11 points and six boards. The team also got some help courtesy of Hayden Whitley, who posted five points and five rebounds.
The win snapped Udall's losing streak at four games and leaves them with a 2-6 record. As for Belle Plaine, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-8.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Udall has been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 25.1 boards per game. However, it's not like Belle Plaine struggles in that department as they've been averaging 25.2 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Udall came up short against Belle Plaine in their previous meeting back in January of 2025, falling 64-55. Can the Eagles avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
