Last Friday night, Valley Falls sophomore Reagan Kirkwood delivered a 21-point performance in a 46-21 win over JCN to move the Dragons into a tie atop the Northeast Kansas League.

Tuesday night Kirkwood delivered a performance two points better, pouring in 23 points as the Valley Falls girls’ basketball team took down Jackson Heights on the road 47-33.

The Dragons struggled in the first half offensively scoring just 18 total points in the first two quarters combined, but their defense came to play holding the Cobras to just 16 points in the half to take a two-point lead into halftime.

Out of the break the Valley Falls offense came alive, scoring 16 points in the third quarter with four different players finding the bottom of the net to give the Dragons a 14-point lead heading into the fourth.

Jackson Heights tried to make a comeback in the fourth, but Kirkwood scored 10 of her 23 points in the final frame to put the game away for the Dragons.

Valley Falls, 14-3 overall and 12-1 in NEKL play, now heads back home to host Immaculata Friday, while Jackson Heights (7-10, 6-7) travels to McLouth.

Valley Falls: Reagan Kirkwood – 23, Mallory Burns – 9, Rachel Frakes – 8, Drew DeLong – 5, Allison Kearney – 2.

Jackson Heights: Kylie Dohl – 14, Hannah Williams – 7, Jodi White – 4, Abby Williams – 3, Sydney Raborn – 3, Trinity McMahon – 2.

BOYS

Tuesday morning, Jackson Heights senior Wyatt Olberding was named the Highland Community College boys’ athlete of the week at mscsports.net.

Tuesday night Olberding justified the selection, as he poured in 24 points in a 60-33 win over Valley Falls in Holton.

The Cobras got off to a hot start in the first half building an 11-point lead early on in the second, but in the final two minutes of the half the Dragons came alive and went on a 4-0 run to pull back within seven at the break.

Jackson Heights came out of the break and made sure Valley Falls didn’t continue their momentum into the second half, outscoring the Dragons 12-4 in the third quarter to take a 15-point lead into the fourth.

The Cobras eventually built their lead up to 30 late in the fourth, as Olberding and sophomore Lane Thomas combined for 15 points in the quarter to ice the game away.

Next up for Jackson Heights (11-6, 10-3 NEKL) is McLouth on the road Friday night, while Valley Falls ( 4-13, 3-10) hosts Immaculata.

Jackson Heights: Wyatt Olberding – 24, Mason Thomas – 11, Lane Thomas – 11, Brady Holliday – 4, Kaleb Keehn – 4, Kolby Rethman – 3, Mason Hamilton – 3.

Valley Falls: Dawson Gatzemeyer – 11, Chris Yates – 6, Nathan Pickerell – 5, Justin Meyers – 3, Grayson Haag – 3, Tyler Lockhart – 2, Tucker Sherretts – 2.