Class 1A-Division II Boys Sub-State Semifinals:

B&B 60, Wetmore 27

Axtell 71, Frankfort 49

Night started off with a B&B Falcons win over the Wetmore Cardinals as B&B got off to a great start and Wetmore struggled from the onset. Falcons finished off the first quarter of action leading the game 16-1, as Wetmore struggled offensive not getting their first point of the ballgame until late in the first quarter.

Falcons extended their lead behind a 19-9 second frame, to lead the Cardinals 35-10 going into the half. B&B didn't look back from their cruising to a 60-27 win, to punch their ticket to the sub-state championship for the second straight year.

Two players had already registered double figures at the half for B&B, but it was balanced scoring to got it done for the Falcons with nine players scoring at least one bucket. Junior, Dylan Schmitz lead the Falcons coming off the bench with a little early foul trouble Schmitz got more playing time and posted 10 points in the first half and continued that success in the second half with 10 more points, to finish with 20 points a new season high. Fellow junior, Dustin Rottinghaus joined Schmitz in double figures as he finished with 11 points, all in the first half.

Wetmore finished with only four players tallying points in the contest and senior, Kyle Shumaker leading the way with 15 points, scoring 12 of the 17 second half Cardinal points himself.

With the loss Wetmore closes their season 2-19 under first year head coach, Matt Callison. For B&B, they improved to 17-5 on the season and are for the second straight season one win away from a bid to the state tournament for the second straight year.

The Falcons opponent in the sub-state championship, will be the Axtell Eagles as Axtell topped Frankfort 71-49 to advance out of the sub-state semifinals. Frankfort beat Axtell earlier in the season and last year in the sub-state semifinal 73-38 and that was on the mind of Eagles to provide some extra motivation.

Eagles shot off to a fast start leading it 11-0 before Frankfort finally got on the board in the first period; Axtell lead it 13-7 after the first quarter and went into the half with a 26-19 lead. Junior, Payton Heinen was leading the way for Axtell with 15 points at half on his way to a sensational 33 points in the game.

Axtell kept the momentum going in the second half to extended their lead with a 20 point third quarter and 25 point fourth. Frankfort tired to fight back but just could get shots to fall as they finished 6-29 from three-point land, not hitting half of them until the last few minutes of the game.

Heinen lead the way for the Eagles with his stellar 33 point performance, but his teammates Aaron Schmelzle and Taylor Platt each added double figures with 14 and 11 points, respectively, also in the win. Frankfort was lead by Alex Surdez and Calahan Brown who posted 16 and 17 points each in the loss.

With the loss Frankfort ends their season 14-8 with the loss closing out their season. The Axtell Eagles improve to 15-8 on the year and put themselves one win away from capturing a bid into the Class 1A-Division II state tournament.

Axtell and B&B are quite familiar with each other as they have already played three times this season with Axtell winning two of the three. Eagles topped the Falcons towards the beginning of season in the Falcon Classic with a 43-36 win and the other win over B&B coming also in a tournament in the TVL tourney, 39-33. B&B won the regular season league matchup in Axtell, gaining the 10-point win, 43-33. This time the two teams meet up in Baileyville for the second time this year and a state tourney bid is up for grabs.