Playing some of their best basketball of the season the Axtell Eagle girls and boys both qualified for the Class 1A-Division II State tournament with wins over Blue Valley-Randolph in the Sub-State Championships at Randolph. The girls earned a 55-44 win, while the boys won 67-55. 

Axtell girls 55-44 over Blue Valley-Randolph

The Axtell girls worked out to an early lead going up 13-6 after the first quarter with Kinsey Feldkamp setting the tone early posting six points in the first stanza. The lead remained at seven headed into halftime with Axtell up 21-14 but the Eagles saw Blue Valley cut the lead but two-points going into the fourth before Axtell finished the game with a 19-13 fourth quarter to take the 55-44 win. 

The win moves the Axtell girls to 13-9 on the season, have won five of the last six and are headed to the Class 1A-Division II State tournament for the fourth time. Feldkamp led the Eagles with 17 points, while Trisha Mathewson chipped in 10 points in the win. 

Axtell travels to Dodge City for the Class 1A-DII State tournament and will play on Thursday, March 8th at 3:00pm in the first round as the seven seed against two seed St. John's/Tipton (19-4). (The first round game will be broadcasted on 92.1 KMZA) 

Axtell boys 67-55 over Blue Valley-Randolph

Blue Valley jumped out early going up 19-11 after the first quarter led by Cole Montgomery dropping 12 first quarter points, but Axtell cut the deficit to seven by halftime 31-24. Axtell then dropped 22 points in the third quarter to draw within two points and the Eagles finished off the game with a dominating 21-7 fourth quarter to comeback for the 67-55 win with Jonah Porting leading the charge in the fourth scoring 12 fourth quarter points. 

Porting led the Eagles with 25 points in the contest, while Quinn Buessing added 16 points and Hunter Koch netted 10 points. The Eagles improved to 11-11 on the season with the win and have won seven of the last nine games helping themselves to the 1A-DII State tournament for the second straight year and the ninth time overall. 

Axtell travels to Dodge City for the Class 1A-DII State tournament and will play on Wednesday, March 7th at 6:30pm in the first round as the seven seed against two seed Elyria-Christian (20-2). (The first round game will be broadcasted on 92.1 KMZA)