Bluejay Teams Lose at Platte Valley

Both Northeast Nodaway junior high teams suffered their first loss of the season Thursday at Platte Valley.

The girls found out that day that they were shorthanded due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and were in over their heads for the first nine minutes of the game. They fell behind 15-0 by that point, as Maleeah Bliley was running wild at the guard position for Platte Valley. 

But all of a sudden, Northeast realized they could play basketball with them and realized they could pressure them back. By halftime, the deficit was down to 17-6 as Makenzie Pride, Skyler Florea, and Lindsey Jackson all scored. Platte Valley twice pushed it ahead to 14 in the second half, but Northeast closed hard in the final minute, getting to within 26-17 by the end of the game.

Skyler Florea, returning from a hand injury, led the team with 9 points. Makenzie Pride, Hadley DeFreece, Gracie Kohlleppel, and Lindsey Jackson all had 2.

Gracie Kohlleppel had 2 blocks. Hadley DeFreece, Skyler Florea, and Makenzie Pride all had 1.

Skyler Florea almost had a double double as she had 9 boards to go with her nine points. Hadley DeFreece had 6, Gracie Kohlleppel 5, Lindsey Jackson 4, and Makenzie Pride 1.

Hadley DeFreece had 2 assists and Lindsey Jackson 1.

Hadley DeFreece had 5 tips. Skyler Florea had 4, Gracie Kohlleppel 3, and Sasha Deardorff and Lindsey Jackson 1.

Hadley DeFreece had 7 steals. Gracie Kohlleppel, continuing to get better every single time, had 6. Skyler Florea and Lindsey Jackson had 4 each, and Sasha Deardorff had 2.

The boys were at full strength Thursday, but they ran into a Platte Valley team that was much bigger and quicker, with one of their players at 6’3”. Like the girls game, the effort was there for the boys, and the game was tied at 2, 4, 8, and 10. But by the second quarter, Platte Valley’s size and speed began to tell, and they pulled ahead by 18-12 at the break.

Platte Valley pushed ahead by as much as 12 before Northeast rallied to come back to within 26-20 by the end of the third quarter. But then Platte Valley’s size and speed began to tell again in the fourth quarter as they pushed back ahead to a 35-22 win.

Ethan Gascoigne did all he could for the Bluejays, getting 14 points. Jake Redden had 4, and Landon Wilmes and Drew Dack had 2 each.

Ethan Gascoigne had 10 boards to complete a double double. Jake Redden, going up against much bigger players, had his best rebounding night of the year with 9. Drew Dack had 6, and Landon Wilmes and Brady Cox had 3.

Drew Dack had 4 assists. Landon Wilmes had 2, and Jake Redden 1.

Landon Wilmes had 11 tips. Drew Dack had 7, Jake Redden 3, and Ethan Gascoigne and Brady Cox 1.

Jake Redden and Landon Wilmes had 4 steals each. Drew Dack had 3, Ethan Gascoigne 2, and Brady Cox and Gaige Bodle 1 each.