(Huxley) Ballard came out firing and never let up in a commanding 71-27 win over Atlantic in a Class 3A Substate #8 quarterfinal Monday night.
The Bombers lit up the scoreboard with 12 three-pointers and saw 13 different players contribute points. Miles Mudd led the way with 13, including three from beyond the arc. Jude Gibson, Bryce Miller, and Lincoln Miller each chipped in nine. Atlantic was paced by Gavin McLaren with seven points, while Kinnick Juhl added six.
Ballard wasted no time, jumping out to a 5-0 lead and never looking back. Their relentless defense forced early turnovers, and with seven three-pointers in the first half, they stormed to a 41-11 halftime lead. The Bombers stayed hot in the second half, knocking down five more shots from deep to extend their advantage to 59-20 after three quarters before closing out the 71-27 win.
Now 19-2 on the season, Ballard will face North Polk (10-12) in Thursday’s semifinal. The Comets advanced with an 84-39 victory over Perry. In other Substate #8 action, Des Moines Christian (17-5) defeated Carlisle 68-43, setting up a semifinal matchup with Bondurant-Farrar (11-11), which cruised past Creston 65-28.
Atlantic’s season ends with a 4-12 record. The Trojans finished strong with back-to-back wins over Lenox and Denison-Schleswig but now bid farewell to four seniors: Kinnick Juhl, Devon Fields, Connor Johnson, and Reid Woodward. The team’s returning core includes three starters—sophomore Grant Petty and juniors Hudson McLaren and Shelton Mualia—along with seven other juniors and four sophomores.
