Boys Basketball Falls In Tight Race With Mustangs

The varsity Eagles (0-5) stayed neck-and-neck with the Mustangs (2-4) until the final buzzer. Sullivan was at Eldon’s doorstep, keeping them on their toes throughout. Despite the Eagles clawing for victory, the Mustangs won the race to the basket 41-37.

Eldon giddied up to a 4-0 lead over the Eagles on Friday, Dec. 13.

Seth Valley used his football expertise to put Sullivan on the board. He snagged an Eldon pass at midcourt, then drove through the key and attempted a layup. A Mustang stuffed his shot, but Braxton Breen rebounded it for a putback basket.

Breen continued putting on a clinic. He recovered a loose Eldon ball that allowed Peyton Malady to tie the game with a basket. Cooper Donner then swished two free throws, and Seth Valley scored on a steal.

The Mustangs iced the Eagles with a timeout and fast broke into an 11-8 lead.

Valley cut Sullivan’s deficit to one with two free throws before the first quarter ended.

Robert York kept the game neck-and-neck with a layup, and Donner drained another free throw.

Jared Toews then sank a three to give Sullivan back the lead. His shot from downtown was heard around the gym as the Pep Club chanted, “He’s a freshman!”

Despite his help, the Mustangs pulled back in front at halftime 17-16.

Sullivan exchanged another blow for the lead. Valley and Malady scorched the net with threes while Donner banked in two.

Eldon rallied back, racking up seven unanswered points. York laid in a buzzer-beater to tie it 26-26 at the end of the third quarter.

Toews returned Sullivan back on top. He went coast-to-coast, juking out the Mustangs, then attacked the rim for the go-ahead basket.

Eldon still refused to back down, swishing five unanswered points for the lead.

Malady swatted a Mustang shot to regain Sullivan’s momentum. York then splashed a point from the charity stripe and later cashed in two from the paint.

Donner kept the Eagles’ fight alive by picking off a pass. Toews then knocked down a jumper to cut Sullivan’s deficit to two.

Eldon widened the gap again with two free throws. Right afterward, with fifteen seconds left, York bailed out Malady on his missed shot for Sullivan’s final score.

The Mustangs then sealed their 41-37 victory from the charity stripe. 

Eldon had also beaten Sullivan’s junior varsity team 48-38 beforehand. 

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