(Elk Horn) Three players scored in double figures to lead Atlantic to a 56-48 victory over Exira/EHK on Monday night in Elk Horn.
Paytn Harter paced Atlantic with 21 points, followed by Zoey Kirchhoff with 14 and Katrina Williams with 12. Makenna Schroeder added seven points, while Lila Wiederstein contributed a crucial field goal late in the game off a rebound and put-back.
Exira-EHK’s Taryn Petersen led all scorers with 34 points. Riley Miller added six, while Jaelynn Petersen and Harley Fahn chipped in four points each.
Petersen started hot, sinking a three-pointer as the Spartans jumped out to a 10-2 lead. However, the Trojans responded with a 13-2 run to take a 15-12 advantage at the end of the first quarter. Atlantic continued its momentum with a 10-0 run to close the first half, extending the lead to 29-17. Harter fueled the offense with 10 first-half points, including a three-pointer, while Schroeder also connected from beyond the arc to finish the half with seven points, Williams added six, and Zoey Kirchhoff, 4. Head Coach Dan Vargason emphasizes that a central theme of the season is the importance of battling back.
Vargason highlighted Taryn Petersen’s performance and the Trojans’ offensive rebounding, which fueled their first-half run.
The Spartans mounted an impressive comeback in the second half, outscoring the Trojans 22-12 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 41-39 heading into the final period. Taryn Petersen led the charge with 22 second half points, sinking four shots from beyond the arc. However, the Trojans held their ground, securing the win with clutch free-throw shooting from Patyn Harter and Zoey Kirchhoff. The duo combined to make 11 of 12 attempts, with Kirchhoff going a perfect 6-for-6 and Harter hitting 5-of-6.
The Trojans extend their record to 13-6 on the season, and travel to Red Oak on Tuesday. Exira/EHK, now (14-4), hosts Paton-Churdan on Tuesday, and caps off the regular season at CAM on Friday.
