Red Rock Central has enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will challenge the Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda Coyotes at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
On Thursday, Red Rock Central came up short against Hills-Beaver Creek and fell 59-47.
Red Rock Central's loss came about despite a quality game from Isaac Simonson, who dropped a triple-double on 12 points, 20 rebounds, and ten blocks. Simonson is absolutely dominating the rebound category: he's posted at least eight every time he's taken the court this season. Jayden Lang was another key contributor, scoring 19 points along with seven rebounds.
Meanwhile, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Monday after their ninth straight loss. They took a serious blow against Westbrook-Walnut Grove, falling 81-52. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda has suffered yet this season.
Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda's loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Logan Hattendorf, who scored 16 points along with seven rebounds, and Sam Goedtke who scored 13 points. Another player making a difference was Logan Gass, who scored five points along with four blocks.
Red Rock Central's defeat dropped their record down to 9-9. As for Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda, they dropped their record down to 1-14 with that defeat, which was their sixth straight at home.
This contest is one where the number of possessions is likely to be a big factor: Red Rock Central have been smashing the glass this season, having averaged 41.1 rebounds per game. However, it's not like Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda struggles in that department as they've been averaging 30.8 rebounds per game. Given these competing strengths, it'll be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
Red Rock Central was able to grind out a solid victory over Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda in their previous matchup back in December of 2023, winning 60-50. The rematch might be a little tougher for Red Rock Central since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
