It was a night to remember this season for Onaga Fans as the Lady Buffaloes pulled out an incredible win over Axtell 38-34 to break a nineteen-game losing streak against league opponents, not having won one since February, 3rd, 2023 against Blue Valley-Randolph. It also ended a three-game losing streak to Axtell. The Axtell boys entered the night as the #2 ranked team in class 1A D2, ranked just behind Cunningham, and crushed the competition in Onaga Boys to pick up their seventh win.

Girls - Onaga over Axtell 38-34

The first quarter was the only one with lead changes, and the third and final one went to the Buffaloes as they led going into the second quarter 12-8. Jadyn Haskin nailed two threes in the first quarter and Addison Dechant had four points and a board to help the Buffaloes get on the board.

Both teams scored twelve a piece in the second quarter to head into the locker room at half 24-20. Bridgett Cambell hit her first three of the game alongside a two-pointer to lead the scoring for Onaga in the second quarter with five points. Katelyn Detweiler had six points alone in the second quarter for the Lady Eagles with a three-point shot of her own, the only one of the half for Axtell. 

The third quarter was a slow one for both sides but the Eagles struck first to bring it to a 24-22 game before the Buffaloes scored eight straight to go up 32-22. But the Buffaloes had out-scored the Eagles in just the third 6-2 with Natalee Strathman having the only two points in the quarter for the Eagles.

The final quarter was a stressor with timeouts being thrown left and right as time was coming down to the wire alongside a string of turnovers. Axtell would get plenty of shot opportunities to tie the game, even getting a turnover just down by two 36-34. Unfortunately for the Eagles shots were just not going in and Addison DeChant would close the game out with a two-for-two performance at the free-throw line. 

Onaga not only was out-rebounded on the game but they also had more turnovers with twenty-eight total, whereas Axtell only had twenty-four (STATS NOT OFFICIAL). In the end, it came down to shot percentage and the shot selection and Onaga’s shots simply didn’t miss. Jaydn Haskin finished with thirteen points and four points, Addison DeChant finished with six points and two boards, Bridgett Campbell had seven boards with seven points, and Abbie Ringle had ten points with four rebounds. Axtell’s leading scorers would come from freshman Katelyn Detweiler who had twelve points with two threes, and Regan Hasenkemp would have ten points on the game and six boards. 

Boys - Axtell over Onaga 71-36

The TVL Boys match-up started as an absolute heater from around the three-point line as the Buffaloes knocked down three in the opening quarter while the Eagles knocked down just one. Casen Huftles had two threes and another bucket for two to finish with eight points in just the opening quarter. The Eagles would still lead 24-16 exiting the first quarter as they had stayed determined to dominate the paint. 

The second quarter was a little closer scoring the Axtell Eagles would only out-score the Buffaloes 15-11 in the quarter to lead into a 39-27 half. Casen Huftles would knock down one more three for Onaga on the half but the Eagles would have five players at this point who had six points or more on the board.

Axtell came out in the second half and showed no mercy with a 26-7 third quarter to enter the final quarter with a running clock of 65-34. Brandon Schmelze had eleven points alone in the third while Landon Schmitz had five, and Colin Shaughnessy had seven. 

The game would finalize at 71-36 with a lackluster final quarter but still, an extremely dominating finish by Axtell as they have now managed more of scoring more than seventy-plus points than scoring less than fifty-four.  Onaga would finish with five threes and the Eagles would finish with four. Axtell also had nearly thirty rebounds while the Buffaloes would be held to almost under twenty. Three Axtell players finished with twelve points or more while six finished with at least eight points or more. Schmelzie would have fifteen by the end, Shaughnessy would follow suit with fifteen himself, Landon Schmitz with twelve points, nine a piece from both Broxterman and Sandmann and finally Wyatt Detweiler having eight solid points of his own. Casen Huftles would lead the scoring with thirteen for Onaga while Jackson Kolterman would be quickly behind him with twelve (ALL STATS NOT APPROXIMATE).

Summary

Lady Buffaloes now improve to 4-4 on the season and 1-4 in TVL play with their first league win in nearly two years while the Axtell girls drop to 4-4 and 1-3 in the league. Eagle Boys are now 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the league with plenty of momentum behind their feathers heading into the TVL tournament, while the Onaga Boys are still desperately searching for their second win at now 1-7 overall and 0-5 in the league.