Baxter boys fall to North Mahaska in district semifinals

NEW SHARON — The Baxter boys basketball team competed very well against North Mahaska in the first and last quarters on Thursday.

It was the middle two periods that doomed the Bolts though and the Warhawks ended their season, 69-56, in the Class 1A District 9 semifinals.

North Mahaska dominated the second quarter in both meetings against Baxter this winter. The Warhawks outscored the Bolts 26-16 in the latest meeting and won the period 24-14 earlier this season.

It was a two-point game after one and Baxter outscored its hosts 24-13 in the fourth. North Mahaska (20-3) had a 19-7 advantage in the third though.

Eli Dee led the Bolts with 25 points and three assists. He was 4-of-10 from 3-point range. He ended the season with a school-record 666 points and averaged 29 points per contest.

Cainan Travis totaled 13 points and five rebounds and Perrin Sulzle contributed 10 points and eight boards, but North Mahaska out-rebounded the Bolts 41-18. The Warhawks had a 15-3 advantage in offensive boards.

Stadan Vansice chipped in three points and three rebounds and Dakota Parker put in three points. The Bolts (14-9) shot 41.5 percent from the floor, made 10-of-28 from 3 and turned the ball over only nine times.

North Mahaska got 25 points, six rebounds and 11 assists from Asher DeBoef and Adrian Smith totaled 17 points and nine rebounds. Jack Kelderman did not score but grabbed 11 rebounds.

The Warhawks shot 44.4 percent from the floor and made 11-of-34 from 3.