Sioux County eliminates Leyton Warriors at Mitchell

MITCHELL — A big second-quarter run by Sioux County proved to be the turning point in Thursday night’s Mitchell D2-12 Subdistrict title game, ending in a 49-41 victory against Leyton High School’s girls basketball team.

Leyton (10-12) trailed 8-6 at the end of the first quarter, then scored the first two baskets of the second period to take a brief 10-8 lead. Sioux County (16-6) then ran off the next 11 points en route to a 22-16 halftime advantage.

In a battle of Warriors mascots, Rol Rushman’s team would make a late run after falling behind 41-28.

“We fought back to cut it to two,” Rushman said. “Dani McKay and Kaitlyn Berner both had baskets and Katy Ernest hit four free throws.”

A 13-2 run enabled Leyton to cut the lead to 43-41 with just a bit more than a minute remaining in regulation. That’s when Rachael Ernest, the team’s leading rebounder, went down with an ankle injury, and had to exit after hauling in a team-high 15 boards.

Sioux County then scored the final six points of the game to hold on.

“Sioux County’s press just outlasted us,” Rushman said.

Sioux’s Kelly Woodrum led all scorers with 19 points, including four 3-pointers. Meggan Federley added 16 points and Lindsay Dunn pitched in eight, six of those being free throws.

Leyton was led in scoring by Katy Ernest’s 12 points and 13 rebounds. McKay added nine and Tessa Lukesh eight.

Rushman said his team, after having a roller coaster regular season, capped the season with two strong postseason efforts.

“We finished with two strong games, and I was proud of how we played defensively tonight,” Rushman said. “We’ll be missing two big senior leaders — Rachael Ernest and Tessa Lukesh — and fortunately we will have some youth coming back.”

Sioux County will meet upstart Sandhills/Thedford in next Friday’s D2-6 final. The Lady Knights (21-6) knocked off top-seeded Mullen in Thursday’s Valentine D2-11 Subdistrict final.

Mitchell D2-12 Subdistrict

Championship

Sioux County 49, Leyton 41

LEYTON (10-12)

KErnest 4 4-7 12, McKay 4 1-4 9, Lukesh 4 0-0 8, R. Ernest 3 0-0 6, KWaite 1 0-0 2, Berner 1 0-0 2, Houk 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 5-11 41

SIOUX COUNTY (16-6)

Woodrum 7 1-2 19, Federley 6 4-7 16, Dunn 1 6-10 8, Grote 1 0-0 2, Thayer 1 0-0 2, Saultz 0 2-2 2. Totals 16 13-21 49

Leyton 6 10 10 15—41

SiouxCo 8 14 9 18—49

3-point goals — Sioux County 4 (Woodrum 4). Team fouls — Leyton 19, Sioux County 18.