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Chieftains hit winter break with 4-2 mark

By Shawn Linenberger - | Dec 24, 2002

Like children waiting for Christmas morning, the Tonganoxie High girls team needed some patience before opening its holiday present Friday at Mill Valley.

Thanks to a triple-overtime boys junior varsity game, the Chieftains had to sit tight more than an hour past their regularly scheduled time slot of 6:30 p.m.

Once the varsity game started, the Chieftains began a bit slow, but they eventually managed a 51-42 victory against the Jaguars.

“I don’t know how much bearing it had on the game, but they started slowly,” THS coach Randy Kraft said about the game delay.

The Chieftains’ patience also had to endure the constant sound of referees’ whistles. Officials called 60 fouls in the game. Of those, 56 went to the free-throw line. Tonganoxie was 18-for-36; Mill Valley sank 12 of 20 attempts.

“It was a game that was called pretty tight,” MVHS coach Betsy Meeks said.

The Jaguars (0-5 overall and 0-5 in the Kaw Valley League) started slow, as well, mustering just three points in the first quarter. But thanks to those officials’ tight calls, Mill Valley managed some points in the second quarter. The team went 7-for-8 from the charity line and added another six points from the field, going into halftime with a 29-16 deficit.

Although the Chieftains went into the locker room with a 13-point advantage, THS started with six turnovers and six points in the first seven minutes.

And, after the break, an offense that started producing more in the second quarter was quiet in the third quarter. Mill Valley went into a zone defense, which helped them cut the lead to 29-22 early in the second half.

Tonganoxie only could muster seven points in the third.

The Jags would come closer early in the fourth, trailing by five 36-31, but Tonganoxie’s free throws — 11-for-12 in the final period — helped the Chieftains finish December with a win. THS is 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Kaw Valley League going into winter break.

THS again will have to show some patience in getting back on the court. With winter break, the Chieftains are off until Jan. 7 when they play De Soto in Tonganoxie.

After Friday, though, THS has this patience thing down pat.

“That’s all right,” Korb said about Friday’s delay. “My boyfriend plays for the guys’ team, so I’d have to watch him anyway.”