Cardinals Knock Off Mac-Hi...Again

WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg boys' basketball team played their first home game of the season on Dec. 15, beating the Mac-Hi Pioneers for the second time in a week, 45-33.

The Cardinals' defense did a good job shutting down the Pioneers' offense in the first half, taking a 23-9 lead into the break.

For the game, Mark Montgomery led the Cardinals with 17 points, with Jacob Dunn adding 15. Kyle Gradwohl pulled down 16 rebounds. Dunn and Landon Callas each had two three-pointers.

This was Waitsburg's second victory over Mac-Hi in a week. The Cardinals won the Mac-Hi tournament in Milton-Freewater on Dec. 12, with a win over the Pioneers, 53-24.

Mac-Hi 5 4 13 11 - 33

Waitsburg 10 13 10 12 - 45

MAC-HI (33) - A. Garcia 0 0-0 0, Zaragoza 5 0-0 15, Yensen 5 0-0 11, Perez 2 0-0 4, DeBord 0 0-0 0, E. Garcia 0 0-0 0, L. Garcia 1 0-0 3, Delgado 0 0-0 0. Totals 13 0-0 33.

WAITSBURG (45) - Potts 0 2-7 2, Callas 2 0-0 6, Dunn 6 1-2 15, Gradwohl 0 3-4 3, Montgomery 6 5-8 17, Branson 1 0-0 2. Totals 15 11-21 45.

3-point goals - Mac-Hi (Zaragoza 5, Yensen, L. Garcia), Waitsburg (Callas 2, Dunn 2). Total fouls - Mac-Hi 18, Waitsburg 7. Fouled out - Mac-Hi (DeBord). Technical fouls - none. Rebounds - Waitsburg 43 (Gradwohl 16).

WWVA 53, Waitsburg, 42

WAITSBURG – In their league opener at home against Walla Walla Valley Academy, the Cardinal Boys got off to a slow start and couldn't mount a successful comeback, falling 53-42.

Waitsburg trailed 17-5 after the first quarter and 34-16 at the half. The Cardinals staged a furious rally in the third quarter, outscoring the knights 17-4 in that frame. But the home team couldn't make up the difference.

Kyle Gradwohl had a career night, scoring 27 points, including sinking six three-point shots. Jacob Dunn scored seven and pulled down five rebounds. The cardinals were outrebounded by Knights, 30-12.

The Cardinals are off until Jan. 2, when they host Pomeroy.

WWVA 17 17 4 15 - 53

Waitsburg 5 11 17 9 - 42

WWVA (53) - Browning 6-10 8-10 25, Lomeland 5-7 0-0 13, Acosta 2-5 3-4 8, Jennings 3-5 1-4 7, Johnson 0-2 0-0 0, Childs 0-3 0-0 0, Lopez 0-0 0-1 0, Wells 0-0 0-1 0, Van Dorn 0-0 0-0 0. Team 16-33 12-19 53.

WAITSBURG (42) - Gradwohl 10-20 1-2 27, Dunn 3-8 1-2 7, Callas 0-6 0-0 0, Carter 2-9 0-0 4, Potts 2-7 0-0 4, Montgomery 0-2 0-0 0, Hatfield 0-1 0-0 0. Team 17-53 2-4 42.

3-point goals - WWVA 9 (Browning 5), Waits 6 (Gradwohl 6); Rebounds - WWVA 30 (Browning 11, Jennings 11), Waits 12 (Dunn 5); Total fouls WWVA 9, Waits 18; Fouled out - Waits (Montgomery); Technical fouls - none; Turnovers - WWVA 19, Waits 11; Assists - WWVA 5 (Acosta 2), Waits 4 (Callas, Dunn, Gradwohl, Montgomery).