As the end of the regular season looms the Axtell Eagles welcomed the Doniphan West Mustangs to town for Twin Valley League action and it was split at the end of the evening with the Axtell girls and Doniphan West boys each picking up their fifteenth wins of the season. 

Axtell flew out early to a lead against Doniphan West in the girls’ varsity game leading 14-7 after the first quarter and behind a 16-8 second quarter led 30-15 at intermission. Senior, Kiersten Talbot was on a mission early looking to score posting 10 points by halftime to help Axtell out to their sizeable lead, which grew behind a 14-5 third quarter. The game finished out on with an 18-2 fourth quarter and Axtell picked up the 62-22 win at home in Twin Valley League play. 

Talbot who came into the night needing 22 points to reach 1,000 career points finished the night with a season-best 23 points and joined her teammate Courtney Heinen with 1,000-plus career points. Heinen accomplished the feat in an earlier game but did finish with 11 points in the win against Doniphan West. The performance from Talbot earned her Community National Bank "Player to Bank On" on KMZA. With the win Axtell improved to 15-3 on the season and 9-1 in the TVL, while having now won five in in a row and 13 of their last 14. 

Doniphan West with the loss fell to 6-11 on the year and 4-7 in the Twin Valley League, as Kenzie Blevins led the Mustangs with 11 points. Despite the loss the Mustangs have won four of their last six games. 

Tight early in the boys contest until a run at the end of the first quarter pushed Doniphan West to a 20-11 lead. That lead was 11 at halftime for the Mustangs on the road against Axtell despite the Eagles effort to cut into the lead in the second quarter. The Eagles made a push in the second half also getting back to within single digits multiple times but never got closer than seven as Doniphan West held of the Eagles runs to secure the 53-39 with eight guys scoring on the night in the win for the Mustangs. 

Cooper Leach and Austin Taylor once again led Doniphan West scoring 14 and 13 points, respectively and earned co-Community National Bank "Player to Bank On" honors on KMZA. While Devin Taylor chipped in a solid nine points in the game and the Mustangs finished 15-20 from the free throw line as a team. The win pushes Doniphan West to 15-3 on the season and 10-1 in the TVL. 

Axtell with the loss falls to 10-9 on the year and 6-4 in the TVL as Colton Buessing led Axtell with 14 points, hitting four three's in the game and Mitchell Kuckelman tallied 12 points. 

Both teams hit the court again on Friday as Axtell travels to Troy, while Doniphan West hosts Hanover.