Class 1A D2 3rd Place Boys Game at Barton County CC in Great Bend, Kansas on Saturday

Axtell 80, Dighton 72

Playing in the third place state game for the second straight season, the Axtell Eagles made sure they would bring home hardware and post a win to finish their terrific year. Following a tough semifinal loss against Lebo that Axtell only managed nine first half points and shot just 27 percent for the game, the Eagles soared on Saturday and made 13 triples while going 8-10 from the free throw line in the final 50 seconds to break a 72-72 tie and end the game.

Axtell got two quick treys from Colin Shaughnessy for a 6-0 start, but found themselves down double digits at 22-12 before Brandon Schmelzle hit  another triple to conclude the first period. The Eagles trailed 36-33 at halftime and despite tying the game five times in the third quarter, still trailed 53-52 entering the fourth frame. Axtell took their biggest lead of the game 71-62 with 2:45 remaining, only to see Dighton made one more push and a 10-1 run to tie the score at 72 following a pair of free throws with :50 to go. The Hornets wouldn't score again however and Axtell made their free throws to extend the lead and seal the 23rd win of the season. 

Eli Broxterman hit a trio of three-pointers in both the second and third quarter and finished with 25 points with seven total triples before going 4-4 at the foul line in teh last 13 seconds. Schmelzle scored 15 points and had 11 rebounds while Shaughnessy added 14 points including four treys and a pair of big ones in the fourth stanza. Landon Schmitz also had 10 points and Grady Buessing chipped in 8 as one of just two seniors on the team, along with Grant Buessing.

Axtel had seven more turnovers (15), but outrebounded top seed Dighton by nine and had 20 second chance points. The Eagles shot 41.5 precent and hit 13 of 34 triples. They end the year 23-3 and went 10-1 in games decided by single digits this season. 

Dighton, who was upset by Cunningham by three points in the semifinals also had 65 total shots and made two more field goals, but went 0-9 from beyond the arc. Daniel Cramer had 38 points on 14 of 30 shooting and went 10-13 at the line while Carson Shimer finished with 18 points and 9 boards making 8 of 20 field goals. The rest of the Hornet roster combined to make just 7 of 15 attempts and their bench was outscored by Axtell 16-1.