Senior student manager and Unified basketball player Reilly Rauterkus capped the Fort Calhoun High School girls' last regular season home game with a long, off-glass jump shot make Thursday evening.
With the bucket, the Pioneers beat the Tekamah-Herman Tigers 64-23, improving to 15-7 on the season with their second-straight win. They'd finish the regular season 15-8 after Friday's game at Raymond Central.
Against the Tigers, though, coach Eric Jones started his varsity seniors — Anna and Kaylee Taylor, Aimee Boyd and Samantha Thomas — with junior Maelie Nelson. The 12th-graders have had limited playing time this season, but stuck with their teammates throughout.
“I started tearing up at the beginning of the lineups because it just felt like I just had so much support from all of the fans and the students at this school,” Boyd said. “Fort Calhoun is just a good community to be in.”
Thomas said it was an “amazing” feeling being introduced to the crowd with the video board showcasing her name.
“It's so weird being on a different side because I'm usually cheering on my teammates,” Thomas said. “But, it was a nice change and I love the support here. It makes it even better.”
Kaylee Taylor, a Nebraska Coaches Association softball all-star and future Nebraska Wesleyan track and field athlete, scored the game's first bucket before the Pioneers' regular starters took over. FCHS led 18-11 through one period, 30-15 through two and dominated the second half before Rauterkus got into the action.
Sophomore Raeann Massey led Fort Calhoun with 16 points against Tekamah, while Jovi Grenier added 11 and Ella Bouwman scored eight. The last home win was the Pioneers' seventh there this season.
“I just love how positive the environment is and how we all push each other to our limits,” Thomas said when asked about her team. “We make sure we're getting each other better each practice.”
For their efforts, the seniors took the court first against the Tigers.
“I haven't started a single varsity game my whole four years I've played basketball,” Boyd said. “Just getting to do that and feeling that moment with my family, it just felt so surreal.”
Raymond Central game
On Friday, though, Fort Calhoun lost a 60-36 game at 18-4 Raymond Central.
Coach Jones said he didn't get his team adjusted to the Mustangs' 1-3-1 zone defense quick enough. The Pioneers trailed just 8-6 after one period, but were behind by 16 and 26 points after the second and third quarters, respectively.
Massey led FCHS in defeat with 14 points, while Maelie Nelson and Ansley Elofson scored seven apiece.
The Pioneers next play 5 p.m. today during the Class C1-3 Subdistrict Tournament semifinals on their home floor. FCHS will compete against Monday's winner of the Omaha Roncalli-Conestoga matchup. The finals are 6 p.m. Thursday in Fort Calhoun.
FCHS BASKETBALL LINE SCORES
Friday
Raymond Central 60, Fort Calhoun 36
FCHS (15-8) 6 6 6 18 — 36
RC (18-4) 8 22 16 14 — 60
Scoring: FCHS — Raeann Massey 14, Maelie Nelson 7, Ansley Elofson 7, Jovi Grenier 3, Dehlia Hallberg 3, Ari Nelson 2.
RC — Kenzie TenEyck 35, Quincy Cotter 7, Julia Schultz 6, Alexa Otto 4, Jacey Hofpar 3, Izzy Lubischer 3, Peyton Niemeyer 2.
Thursday
Fort Calhoun 64, Tekamah-Herman 23
T-H (2-20) 11 4 3 5 — 23
FCHS (15-7) 18 12 28 6 — 64
Scoring: FCHS — Massey 16, Grenier 11, Ella Bouwman 8, Elofson 7, Ari Nelson 5, Hallberg 4, Kaylee Taylor 4, Maelie Nelson 4, Isabel Wray 3, Reilly Rauterkus 2.
T-H — Josie Brodersen 5, Kallie Moore 4, Cassidy Magill 4, Emily Stansberry 4, Brooklynn Olson 3, Aspen Arnold 2, Aisley Walpole 1.
