The Axtell Eagles boys basketball team won their state quarterfinal game against St. John’s Tipton by a final score of 54-32.

Axtell got off to a quick start scoring the game’s first seven points. Threes were raining down for the Eagles in the first quarter as they made four out of seven attempts to take a 15-13 lead. Broxterman made a pair of them to have a team-high six points.

In the second quarter, both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net, but the Eagles continued to lead. Broxterman made two more field goals to give him 10 points at halftime with Axtell leading 24-20.

In the first minute of the third quarter, the Eagles scored the first five points to get their largest lead of the game at the time at 29-20. They grew the lead even more over the next two minutes as they would have a 33-20 lead with 5:07 left in the third quarter. They wouldn’t score again until under 90 seconds left, but they played great defense and were able to expand their lead to 39-26 going into the fourth quarter. Axtell outscored St. John’s Tipton 15-6.

Axtell’s defense persisted as they surrendered just six more points in the fourth quarter giving Axtell a 30-12 advantage in the final 16 minutes of the ballgame.

Broxterman led all scorers with 18 points making him the Player of the Game brought to you by Farmers State Bank. Brandon Schmelzle finished with 15 points, including a two-hand dunk, and an authoritative one-hand jam. Colin Shaughnessy had a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds and three three-point makes.

It wasn’t all positive, though, as they struggled with holding on to the ball. The Eagles turned the ball over 26 times. Thankfully, the Blujays turned it over 22 times themselves. Axtell outscored St. John’s Tipton 20-12 in points off turnovers.

They will face Lebo in a rematch of last year’s semifinal round in which the Wolves bested the Eagles by double-digits. Axtell will get a shot at avenging last year’s loss on Friday at 6:00 p.m. You can listen to the game on 92.1 FM KMZA.