It was a Big 7 League and Jackson County rivalry to start the 2022 portion of the high school basketball season on Tuesday night in Holton. Two competitive games would end in a split. 

GIRLS - Holton 37, Royal Valley 28

After hitting a couple treys to jump to an 8-2 lead, the  Holton girls only trailed once briefly at 13-12 in the second quarter before posting the home victory. Royal Valley trailed 33-29 with just 24 seconds to play, but couldn't get any closer on a night they struggled shooting the ball (especially from the perimeter) and had 24 total turnovers. Holton also had more than 20 turnovers and missed seven free throws in the fourth quarter after expanding the lead to 10 points, but got a basket from Macey Patch and two free throws from Staci Bond late to seal the win. 

Patch scored 11 points to lead Holton while Grace Etzel and Tiarra Dodd both hit a pair of treys and finished with 8 points each as Holton evened their record at 3-3 and 2-2 in league play.  Royal Valley got 11 points from Alysa Ladson while Kennedy Bryan added 8 and Keirria Blacksmith scored 6 before the Panthers dropped to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the Big 7.

BOYS - Royal Valley 44, Holton 38

There was plenty of talent, athleticism and good defense on display in the boys game but points were very hard to come by as Holton led 13-12 at halftime. Royal Valley used a strong third period to take a 27-24 lead into the fourth before Jake Zeller hit a triple for the Wildcats to put them ahead 29-28.  That would be the last Holton lead as the Panthers made 8 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter to secure the road win and stay undefeated at 6-0.  

Holton was just 3 of 11 from the charity stripe in a game neither team ever led by more than seven points. Jaylen Turner scored the first 7 for the Cats and ended with 15 points before fouling out. Tyson Snyder added 7 as Holton dropped to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in league play. 

KJ Miller had six early points to get the game tied 8-8 at the end of one quarter. Miller finished with 14 while Mason Thomas added 8 and in his first game back after being cleared by KSHSAA, Nahcs Wahwassuck scored 13. The highly touted Wahwassuck had transferred to a prep school in Branson, Missouri at the end of last year but returned to Royal Valley schools late this fall where he was an all state performer on the hardwood.