Giant Communications and JBN Telephone Company Road to Glory, presented by Giant Mobile

It’s been since 2013 since the Axtell Eagles took a trip to the state title match, in which the Eagles would take on the undefeated and #1 seeded team in the state that year, Fowler, and win 65-56. Twelve years later the Eagles got back to the title game and took on the defending champs of class 1A D2, Cunningham, who was also the #1 in the state with an undefeated record. Axtell pulled off one of their most dominantly impressive basketball performances this year in the state game with a final score of 57-39. 

The first quarter started with junior Landon Schmitz's first and only points of the game with a quick fast break down the court for a layup, having been set up by a defensive board by sophomore Logan Sandmann. Eli Broxterman finished with eight points by the end of the first quarter with two threes sliced into the bread basket. Colin Shaugnessy tested a three and passed for the Eagles in the first and Logan Sandmann finished with four points and four rebounds in the first. This dynamite start would help the Eagles lead 21-7 at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter got started just as hot and quick for the Eagles with the half trailing off a little bit at the end, the Eagles still leading 35-16 through the first two quarters. Eli Broxterman finished with eleven points on the half for Axtell, while the other 1,000+ scorer for Axtell in their career, Brandon Schmelzle, ended with eleven points and six boards at the half. Eagles were out-rebounding the Wildcats 24-14 at the half completely dictating the inside control of the paint with Sandmann having seven boards to finish the half as well. 

The third quarter was the only quarter where the Axtell Eagles were out-scored in a quarter, 13-8, despite holding Cunningham to two points in the first four minutes of the third quarter and having a strong twenty-four-point lead at the largest in the third as well, Cunnigham would score eleven in the last four minutes and would only be down 43-29 going into the fourth. Logan Sandmann had the best third-quarter performance for Axtell with six total points. 

The fourth quarter was a bitter end for the Wildcats with two of their seniors fouling out and having to put all their subs in to finish the game as both teams called the game with a little over a minute-thirty to go. Axtell put the rest of their seniors in with Daltyn Heinen, Blaise Buessing, and Gavin Shaughnessy all taking the court one final time as an Eagle. The Boys 1A D2 state match at the Colby Event Center would conclude 57-39 with Axtell capturing just their second title in program history, while also being their second attended.

Axtell shot above forty percent on the game and held the Wildcats to under twenty-three percent. Axtell finished with a total of twenty-eight points in the paint against Cunnigham with ninety-two total on the tournament run, having forty-one rebounds against the Wildcats as well to help the Eagles combine for one-hundred and eight total rebounds through their state matches. 

The Eagles ended the season 25-1 with a league record of 10-0. The Eagles made history this year with the most wins in a single season for their boys' team, winning their first TVL title and first league title since the Nemaha Valley League in 96’, winning the TVL tournament yet again, picking up 151 for Coach Tynon, and getting him his first-ever state title. Axtell boys have won a football title this season for the fourth year in a row, just picked up a basketball title, and now look to three-peat in track this spring to complete the ultimate send-off for these stout seniors. 

Brandon Schmelzle finished with another fifteen-point game and finished every game in the state tournament with fifteen points. Winning player of the game twice. Twelve years ago he watched his brother play for Axtell and win the first state title in program history and drop twenty-six points in the win against Fowler. Incredible full-circle story for the Schmelzles. 

NAPA Auto Parts in Atchison/Sabetha Starting Line-up and Top Performers’ Stats

Logan Sandman: 12PTS, 11RBS, 1 BK, 1AST, 5/7 FG

Brandon Schmelze: 15PTS, 11RBS, 6AST, 4STL, 6/8 FG

Eli Broxterman: 12PTS, 2RBS, 3AST, 2STL, 2/10 3PT, 4/7 FT

Wyatt Detweiler: 2PTS, 1AST, 1STL, 2/2 FT

Landon Schmitz: 2PTS, 6RBS, 2BK, 2STL

Colin Shaughnessy: 12PTS, 5RBS, 1AST, 2STL, 1/3 3PT, 5/6 FT