VALLEY CITY, ND (NewsDakota.com) A 23-6 Hi-Liner run in the opening half was undone by a 13-0 Husky run in the second, and Wahpeton edged a back-and-forth ride in the Eastern Dakota Conference (EDC) with a 68-65 win in Valley City Tuesday.
Wahpeton took an 18-10 lead in a sluggish first half before Zach Sykora would fuel the 23-6 clip for the Hi-Liners, who would lead by nine late in the half, watch the lead cut to three, and then push the margin to eight at halftime 40-32.
Valley City scored the first four of the second, but Caden Hockert continued a hot shooting night, knocking down his fourth and fifth threes in a 13-0 run that delivered Wahpeton a 45-44 edge.
After the teams traded leads, Wahpeton broke Jayden King loose on the baseline for late scores, pushing the lead to 64-57. Aiden Jacobson responded with a three for the H-Liners, while Talon Larson scored his 14th point late to cut the lead to three. Valley City got the ball with five seconds left, but missed a potential game-tying three at the horn.
Sykora led the Hi-Liner scoring with 17. Hockert led all scorers with 20. Talon Larson approached a double-double for the Hi-Liners with his 14 points and a rebounding effort that pulled in six offensive boards on the night.
Valley City is now 0-16 in EDC play, 1-14 overall, and plays at West Fargo in the early half of a boys-girls double header Friday at 5:45 PM.