In what is sure to be a wild, unprecedented season the Axtell and Doniphan West high school basketball teams got the 2020-21 season underway Thursday night and played to a split with the D-West girls winning the opening game 69-20 while the Axtell boys won the night cap 46-41.

Girls: Doniphan West 69, Axtell 20

The girl’s game was all Doniphan West from the start as the Lady Mustangs forced 11 turnovers in the first quarter and raced out to an 11-0 lead before Axtell got their first point on a free throw by Lily McClellan.

That was the only point the Eagles would get in the first quarter as Doniphan West senior Sadie Leach notched six points while junior Jaiden Taylor added five as the Mustangs led 21-1 after one.

The Lady Mustangs continued their dominance in the second quarter, forcing nine more turnovers while sophomore Avery Weathersbee scored six points extending Doniphan West’s lead to 44-12 at the half.

Doniphan West then put the game away in the third quarter behind eight points from Taylor and seven from sophomore Chloe Clevenger to force a running clock in the fourth quarter.

Taylor and Clevenger wound up leading the Lady Mustangs in scoring with 13 points each as Taylor was named our Player to Bank on in our postgame show on 103.9 KNZA and 92.1 KMZA.

The Lady Mustangs (1-0) forced over 30 turnovers on the night and get back in action Tuesday at Riverside, while Axtell (0-1) has a quick turnaround and will travel to Wabaunsee on Friday night.

Doniphan West: Jaiden Taylor – 13, Chloe Clevenger – 13, Avery Weathersbee – 10, Myah Olson – 9, Kinlee Whetstine – 9, Sadie Leach – 8, Claire Cole – 4, Sydney Smith – 3.

Axtell: Aspen Buessing – 6, Laney Porting – 4, Halie Schmitz – 3, Taylor Broxterman – 3, Lily McClellan – 2, Alison Buessing – 2.

Boys: Axtell 46, Doniphan West 41

The boy’s game was one of the best games around the area of the night as Axtell came back from 11 down to stun Doniphan West in the final minute 46-41.

D-West raced out to a 12-7 lead after the first quarter behind four points from junior Trent Spiker, but Axtell battled back in the second and forced the Mustangs into six turnovers to pull back within one at halftime as Doniphan West led 22-21 at the half.

In the third quarter the Mustangs appeared to have taken complete control as they got up by as many as 11 in the quarter and held a 38-31 lead going into the fourth behind five points each from Broc Leatherman and Fletcher Penny.

In the fourth quarter the Eagles finally got the offense going and started their comeback before sophomore Isaac Detweiler hit a 3-pointer to give the Eagles a 42-41 lead which they would never relinquish as Detweiler knocked down four free throws down the stretch to seal the game.

He finished with a game-high 19 points and was named our Player to Bank on in our postgame show on 103.9 KNZA and 92.1 KMZA.

The Eagles (1-0) shot 10 of 11 from the free throw line in the game including a perfect 6 of 6 in the fourth quarter to ice the game away and will have a quick turnaround Friday night traveling to Wabaunsee while Doniphan West (0-1) will head to Riverside on Tuesday.

Axtell: Isaac Detweiler – 19, George Volle – 11, Mitch Buessing – 6, Owen Strathman – 4, Grant Buessing – 4, Sawyer Deters – 2.

Donipahn West: Trent Spiker – 11, Broc Leatherman – 10, Lafe Blevins – 8, Fletcher Penny – 7, Creighton Johnson – 3, Brody Jeschke – 2.