(Anita) Exira-EHK defeated Nodaway Valley 69-56 Monday in a Class 1A District 15 matchup in Anita. They advance to face IKM-Manning Thursday in game one of a doubleheader at AHSTW.
The Spartans struggled early, but got on track with a 7-0 stretch to close the 1st quarter. They also scored the first four points of the 2nd quarter which erased an eight point deficit and gave them a 16-13 lead. The next handful of minutes were very tight with five lead changes. Exira-EHK stretched the lead up to eight points at 35-27 on a Derrek Kommes 3-pointer right before the break.
Sophomore Cash Emgarten scored nine of his game high 19 points in the 2nd quarter as the Spartans took control. Trey Petersen knocked in three 3-pointers in the 3rd quarter to help Exira-EHK push the lead to 14 points. Boston DeVault kept Nodaway Valley in the contest by scoring 12 of his team best 18 points in the 3rd. The Wolverines got within 51-44 with a 7-0 run before a Kommes free-throw at the end of the 3rd made it a 52-44 Spartan edge.
Dawson Nelson made three of his four 3-point baskets after halftime which helped Nodaway Valley put the pressure on. They closed within six points with 5:30 remaining and had some momentum, but Exira-EHK made their final ten free-throws of the game to secure the victory. The Spartans were 14/17 from the line on the night. Emgarten, Petersen, and Aiden Flathers put the game away at the stripe. In addition to 19 from Emgarten, Flathers finished with 16 points, Petersen scored 13, and Jackson Radcliff had 12.
Exira-EHK improves to 14-8 on the season. Nodaway Valley ends the year at 8-14. DeVault led the way with 18 points, Avery Phillippi had 14, and Nelson scored 12.
