Storm split weekend contests

Creek Valley faced a tough invader from Julesburg, Colo. and came out on the short end of a 65-37 final Friday night in Chappell. The Storm bounced back, however, the following night at Banner County to win a double overtime thriller 72-71.

With the weekend split, Creek Valley takes a 2-4 mark into the Christmas break, which includes a 1-1 record in district play. Sedgwick County's record advanced to 4-2 and Banner County slipped to 0-5.

While the Storm's leading scorer, Lane Godfrey, struggled against the Cougars on Friday with just 3 points, he rebounded to lead his team with 29 on Saturday. Lane's brother, freshman Brett Godfrey, was the high man against Sedgwick County with 15 points and backed up Lane with 21 points against Banner County.

"I don't have much say on the game," said Lane Godfrey after the Sedgwick County loss. "When I'm playing this bad it's hard to set a good example. We still have to keep our heads up though and be ready for the next game."

Despite the Storm featuring a starting backcourt with two freshmen (Brett Godfrey and Maverick Widdowson) and having but one senior on its roster, Creek Valley came out running against Sedgwick County.

Godfrey, the only senior, fired a long pass to Colin Brott to open the Friday contest for a 2-0 lead. Moments later Brett Godfrey sank a downtown jumper to finish a fast break for a 5-0 lead

But the more experienced Cougars responded with a vengeance, pounding down 16 unanswered points as part of a 20-2 run to end the first eight minutes of play. A Widdowson jumper from just inside the three-point line accounted for the Storm's only other score of the first period.

"For me and Brett this is a different level of competition for us, so we'll have to get used to the faster game," said Widdowson. "I would say the biggest thing for us younger guys is to learn from the experience and keep getting better."

Despite the tough defeat, the youths on the Storm roster led the way on the scoring sheet with Brett Godfrey's 15 followed by sophomore Colin Brott's 8 and Widdowson's 7 points. Brott was the rebound leader with 5.

The Storm was also the first team to score in the second quarter with Brett Godfrey's jump shot, but the fast running Cougars continued their pressure. Sedgwick County's Trey Walter proved as good as his name as he finished the half by draining two from behind the arc. The half ended with the visitors holding a 40-20 lead.

A pair of free throws by Brett Godfrey and a two pointer by Widdowson started another quarter off right for Creek Valley. But again the momentum was short lived. The most entertaining part of the third quarter came in a 45-second span in which both teams traded a pair of three pointers. Widdowson and Brett Godfrey sank the hometown buckets while Walter and Tyler Woodhams poured in the visitors threes.

The scoring intensity slowed down in the fourth quarter, as the coaches went deeper into their bench.

"We're a young team and we knew that coming in," said Brett Godfrey. "It's a big learning experience for all of us and we'll just have to stay positive."

The Storm now takes the holiday period off until Jan. 3, when they travel to Haxtun for an out of district game.

Boys Basketball

Sedgwick Co. 65

Creek Valley 37