(Neola, IA) — Its always a story during the winter sports season — make up games. Riverside travels to Tri Center tonight for a Girls/Boys Doubleheader to make up a game cancelled by the December ice, coverage on KSOM.
Tri Center girls are 3-7 and have had troubles finding their rhythm this season but they are coming into this game having won two in a row — thumping Glidden Ralston 41-17 led by Hayden Thomas and her 12 points and last Friday topping Missouri Valley 38-32. with Quincey Schneckloth leading with 12 points. Schneckloth leads with 11.9 ppg while Thomas averages 11 a game and Head Coach Derek Sonderland says they have each been consistent scorers
Tonight they face a Riverside team that is 9-2 and coming off a tough loss to now first place by themselves Treynor 47-32. The Bulldogs were only 3-21 from three point land against the Cardinals. It was the first loss in the Western Iowa Conference for Riverside who have surprised some this year but not Sonderland
Riverside does have balanced scoring with Sydney Somers at 8.4 ppg, Kayden Schnack at 8.0 and Sophia Taylor at 6.8 but one underrated player has been Sophomore Sophia Fenner who has shown she can score when needed and can dish the rock as well. Head Coach Mark Jeppesen says she has contributed in other areas as well
Tri Center may not have many wins but five of their seven losses have been by 10 points for less. Jeppesen says they can be a dangerous team
On the boys side, Tri Center boys came off a storied football season and the basketball team might be equally as good and a state championship contender — the Trojans are 9-1 and ranked #10 in Class 2A but they had their first loss last week to Treynor. Since then, Tri Center has been back on track with blowout wins over Glidden Ralston and Missouri Valley. AJ Harder averages 21.8 ppg and Tyler Baatz comes in a 18.9 ppg but the Trojans have more than just those two players says Head Coach Chad Harder
Tri Center has more size than Riverside but Harder says they make up for it with their athleticism
Riverside is 5-5 and coming off a 70-31 loss to Treynor — the ball just didn’t go into the hoop for the Bulldogs and fell behind early and could not recover. Riverside likes to take a lot of three point shots — usually set up by going inside and then dishing it back outside. Head Coach Nick Kroon likes the three but realizes they can’t rely 100 percent by it
Peyton Amdor leads Riverside at 15.8 points a game, Owen Fenner has a sweet shooting touch at 12.6 and they will need everyone firing on all cylinders against Tri Center. Kroon says their defense has got to find a way of slowing down Harder and Baatz
Riverside visits Tri Center tonight, girls tip it off at 6 pm, coverage on KSOM.
