Pioneer basketball briefs: Klepinger scores 20, helps Pioneer avenge earlier loss to Caston

Cripe, A. Brooke score 15 each as Lady Panthers handle LaVille in regular season finale

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Boys basketball

Pioneer 45, Caston 42 (Friday): Hunter Klepinger scored 20 points for the Pioneer boys basketball team in a Hoosier North home win over Caston Friday.

Ezra Lewellen and Drew McKaig added seven points each.

Caston led 24-22 at halftime.

Pioneer won despite making just 5 of 13 free throws.

Pioneer avenged a 50-32 loss to Caston at the Cass County Invitational on Dec. 2.

Caston has not beaten Pioneer on the road since Jan. 28, 2005.

Caston fell to 2-2 in conference play. Pioneer improved to 1-2.

The teams could meet again at the Tri-County sectional from March 2-6.

Caston will host Northfield at 3:30 p.m./5 p.m. (JV/Varsity) on Saturday. Pioneer will travel to Rossville at 1 p.m./2:30 p.m. (JV/Varsity) on Saturday.

CASTON (42) (5-8, 2-2)

Joey Spin 2 2-2 8, Kade Zeider 2 1-2 7, Bryce Rudicel 5 1-3 13, Jessie Rock-Wolf 2 0-0 4, Sam Smith 0 1-2 1, Cam Kline 2 0-0 6, Jake Paschen 1 0-0 3, Carter See 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 14 5-9 42

PIONEER (45) (4-8, 1-2)

Ezra Lewellen 3 1-5 7, Drew McKaig 2 1-2 7, Brock Robinson 0 0-1 0, Addai Lewellen 2 0-0 4, Hunter Klepinger 8 2-3 20, Jacob Zeigler 0 0-0 0, Gavin Clem 0 0-0 0, Christian Scott 2 1-2 5, Oscar Solano 1 0-0 2

TEAM: 18 5-13 45

Three-point field goals:

Caston 9 (Spin 2, Zeider 2, Rudicel 2, Kline 2, Paschen),

Pioneer 4 (McKaig 2, Klepinger 2)

Total fouls: Caston 17, Pioneer 11

Fouled out: Smith (CAS)

Turnovers: Caston 10, Pioneer 10

Score by quarters

Caston 12 12 9 9 – 42

Pioneer 13 9 12 11 – 45

Girls basketball

Pioneer 61, LaVille 29 (Friday): Hailey Cripe scored 12 of her 15 points in the first quarter, and reserve guard Ashlynn Brooke also scored 15 for Pioneer in a Hoosier North road win Friday.

Madison Blickenstaff added nine points, and Mackenzie Walker, Olivia Brooke and Brooklyn Borges had six each.

Pioneer led 37-16 at halftime.

Pioneer finished the regular season 18-4 overall and 5-2 in the Hoosier North.

LaVille lost their 12th straight game to fall to 2-13, 0-6.

PIONEER (61) (18-4, 5-2)

Mackenzie Walker 3 0-0 6, Hailey Cripe 7 1-4 15, Brooklyn Borges 2 2-2 6, Olivia Brooke 2 2-2 6, Madison Blickenstaff 3 3-3 9, Maggie Steffel 0 0-0 0, Crystabelle Blickenstaff 1 0-0 2, Kylie Attinger 0 0-0 0, Katelyn Duncan 0 0-0 0, Bryleigh Binney 1 0-0 2, Ashlynn Brooke 6 0-0 15, Adeline Cripe 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 25 8-11 61

LAVILLE (29) (2-13, 0-6)

H. Kwiatkowski 0 0-0 0, Sherk 3 2-2 9, Medors 4 0-1 8, Edison 0 0-0 0, Watts 1 0-0 2, Rock 4 1-2 10, Aschenbrenner 0 0-0 0, Smith 0 0-0 0, L. Kwiatkowski 0 0-0 0

TEAM: 12 3-5 29

Three-point field goals:

Pioneer 3 (A. Brooke 3),

LaVille 2 (Sherk, Rock)

Total fouls: Pioneer 14, LaVille 9

Score by quarters

Pioneer 23 14 18 6 – 61

LaVille 6 10 11 2 – 29