92.1 KMZA Broadcast - Royal Valley at Sabetha -- click here to listen (Girls | Boys)

Despite a slow start, the Royal Valley girls’ basketball team moved into sole possession of fourth place in the Big 7 League Friday night with an impressive 41-33 win on the road at Sabetha.

The Lady Panthers struggled to score early, failing to find the scoreboard until under three minutes to play in the first quarter.

Luckily for Royal Valley their defense came to play, holding Sabetha to just two points and six turnovers  in the first quarter to take a 4-2 lead after one.

The Lady Panthers extended their lead to four at halftime and to eight after three, but Sabetha wouldn’t go down without a fight.

The Lady Jays opened up the fourth quarter on a 7-0 run to pull within one, as junior Hillary Krebs knocked down a pair of 3-pointers in the first couple minutes of the quarter.

But the Lady Panthers never wavered, as sophomore McKenzie Ogden senior Kiikto Thomas went a perfect 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter to secure the win.

Royal Valley (6-3, 5-3 Big 7) now gets set to host Hiawatha Monday in the final game before the Panther Classic next weekend, while Sabetha (4-5, 4-4 Big 7) opens up play in the Burlington Invite Tuesday taking on Iola.

Royal Valley: Mary Broxterman – 12, Kiikto Thomas – 7, Bella Thompson – 6, Marlissa Jordan – 5, Tamo Thomas – 5, McKenzie Ogden – 4, Emily Albright – 2.

Sabetha: Hillary Krebs – 8, Morgan Schuette – 6, Melinna Schumann – 6, Maggi Hughes – 5, Skylar McAfee – 4, Kinley Schuette – 3, Peyton Michael – 1.

Community National Bank “Player to Bank On”: Mary Broxterman

BOYS

From start to finish, the Sabetha boys’ basketball team put together a dominant performance in a 68-44 win over Royal Valley at home Friday night.

The Bluejays led by just five points after the first quarter, but a 19-5 second quarter sparked by 8 points from junior Ryan Stapelton allowed Sabetha to jump out to a 33-14 lead at halftime.

Sabetha pushed its lead to 21 after three quarters and got up by as many as 26 in the fourth quarter to cruise to the win.

The Bluejays (6-3, 6-2 Big 7) finished with nine different guys with five or more points, and now get set for the Burlington Invite next week beginning with Iola Tuesday afternoon.

Royal Valley (3-6, 3-5) meanwhile will have a few days off before opening up the Panther Classic Thursday going up against Chapman in Hoyt.

Sabetha: Brett Stallbaumer – 11, Gabe Garber – 10, Ryan Stapleton – 9, Jesse Burger – 8, David Dyke – 7, Kyle Grimm – 7, Joe Gruber – 6, Braeden Cox – 5, Mason Spellmeier – 5.

Royal Valley: Masen Spoonhunter – 14, Keegan Shopteese – 7, Komesh Spoonhunter – 7, Darius Frisby – 7, Benjamin Neuner – 6, Pak Hale – 3.

Community National Bank “Player to Bank On”: Ryan Stapleton