For the first time all season, the Valley City Hi-Liner boys basketball team has a winning record as a dominant second-half performance carried them to a 59-42 win over Region 1 foe Central Cass.

The first quarter would set the tone for what would be an evening of fast-paced and physical basketball. The Hi-Liners, trying to counteract the interior presence of the Squirrels, Cole Holzer, bombed away early, with Bryson Heck and Carson Eggert winning from the quick transition game. On the other side of the floor, Holzer would muscle his way to six early points. However, the free throws line touch would elude the Central Cass big as he finished 0-4 from the stripe in the quarter. Those missed foul shots would allow the Hi-Liners to take an early 17-12 lead into the first break.

The second quarter would see the emergence of Central Cass’s Carter Vrchota, as he erupted for 9 points in the quarter to lead all scorers with 13 points at the break. The Hi-Liner offense would be sluggish as they could not match their early success from deep, only mustering ten points in the second frame. At the halftime whistle, both teams would be squared at 27 points each.

The third quarter would be the beginning of the end for Central Cass, as Eggert and Heck would energize the team with instant offense. Jack Dieterle only scored two points in the game, but his defensive work against Holzer made life miserable for the Squirrel’s star senior. The offense of Eggert and Heck combined with the lockdown defense of Dieterle would carry the Hi-Liners to a 44-34 at the end of three.

With the wind entirely out of the Central Cass sails, the Hi-Liners would roll to a comfortable 59-42 win, with Eggert, Heck, and Dieterle all continuing their excellent play in the fourth quarter. For Valley City, their record now improves to 8-7 overall and 4-3 in Region 1 play, marking the first time their record has been above the .500 mark this year. The next game for the Hi-Liners will be Friday, February 9th, as they’ll be set to host the Northern Cass Jaguars. That game can be heard on KOVC, online at NewsDakota.com, and on the KOVC TV YouTube Channel.

 

Ivy Real Estate Group Players of the Game: Bryson Heck, Carson Eggert, and Jack Dieterle