Eagles pick up pair of wins in five-game stretch

Girls basketball

     Five games produced a pair of wins for the Midland High School girls basketball team in the past couple of weeks.

     Midland (4-2, 4-6) scored a 37-30 home win over Easton Valley Dec. 8.

     The game had a strange first quarter, in which the teams combined for 21 turnovers, 13 fouls, and only one field goal made as Midland led 3-0. The Eagles went on to lead 11-6 at halftime.

     Drew Jensen hit a key three-point shot late in the third quarter, was fouled and made the free throw to complete a four-point play, and Midland led 22-18 with one quarter to play. Mikayla Dosland then scored 10 straight points, including a pair of three-pointers as the Eagles took a 34-18 lead, and held on for the win.

     “In the fourth quarter, we had girls step up and make shots, and our defense really communicated and rotated to shooters very well,” Midland coach Nathan Becker said.

     Jensen finished with 12 points, while D.J. Uppena and Dosland had 10 apiece. Uppena had nine rebounds. Emma Paulsen had seven rebounds and five steals.

     At Tipton Dec. 9, the Eagles wound up losing 52-40 in a non-conference game. Tipton’s 8-0 run to end the third quarter gave the Tigers a 39-31 lead, and they held on from there.

     “That stretch ended up being the difference in the game,” Becker said.

     Calli Markmann scored 16 points, Dosland had nine and Jensen added seven. Markmann also had seven rebounds, and Uppena made six assists.

     On Dec. 12, Morgan Soper scored 20 points, and was one of four Eagles scoring in double figures, in a 56-41 win at Lisbon. Midland outscored the Lions 34-21 in the second half to gain control.

     “This was one of our first complete games of the season,” Becker said. “We were extremely balanced on defense and offense, and really showed the capabilities this team has.

     “We ended the game having more assists (16) than turnovers (12), which is probably a first since I’ve been here.”

     Markmann and Uppena had 11 points each, and Jensen added 10. Uppena had eight rebounds, while Jensen had seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

     The Eagles then lost a tough one at home against Alburnett Dec. 15, by a score of 42-39. Markmann had 19 points to pace Midland. Uppena had 12 rebounds and made six steals. Jensen and Paulsen had three assists each.

     “They played hard and gave themselves a chance,” Becker said of his players.

     Next, Midland traveled to Delhi to face Maquoketa Valley Dec. 16, and lost 56-27. Jensen had seven points and Dosland had six for the Eagles. Jensen also had 12 rebounds, while Uppena had 11.

     “The score shows a blowout, but it does not show how hard these girls played, and how many good things they did,” the coach said.

Boys basketball

     Midland played four Tri-Rivers Conference games and one non-conference game in recent boys basketball action.

     On Dec. 2, the Eagles (0-5, 0-7) played host to Monticello and suffered a 49-22 defeat. Austin Smith led Midland with eight points and nine rebounds. Carter Mohr made seven rebounds. Carsen Rupp and Wilson Buckwalter each had two assists.

     Midland then traveled to play Calamus-Wheatland Dec. 5, and lost 65-28. Buckwalter had 10 points, and Ethan Kaftan scored nine. Mohr had 10 rebounds and six assists.

     At home against Easton Valley Dec. 8, the Eagles lost 52-26. Mohr had 10 points. Kaftan made nine rebounds, and Peyton Rupp grabbed five. Carsen Rupp made three assists. Kyle Paulsen and Austin Smith had two steals each.

     Next, the Eagles played at Tipton Dec. 9 in a non-conference game, and lost 54-14. Austin Smith had six points, and Peyton Rupp had five points, five rebounds and four steals.

     The Eagles then traveled to Lisbon Dec. 12 and were handed a 71-36 loss. The host Lions took a 27-3 lead by the end of the first quarter. Austin Smith and Buckwalter scored six points apiece, and Iziek Soper added six. Kyle Paulsen and Kaftan had five points each. Peyton Rupp grabbed five rebounds. Soper had three steals.

Wrestling

     Midland went 1-1 in a double dual meet Dec. 14 at Edgewood-Colesburg, beating Clayton Ridge 36-18 and losing to Ed-Co 63-13.

     Brett Schoenherr won both of his matches by fall at 220 pounds. Also going 2-0 were Trevor Gudenkauf at 126, with a fall and a forfeit; and Damon Huston at 106, with a major decision and a forfeit.

     Jacob Shoaff had a pin at 160 pounds.