The first of the Fort Calhoun girls basketball team's two matchups with Tekamah-Herman came down to two free throws with 0.2 seconds left.
The Tigers' Preslee Hansen, the game's leading scorer, made her first attempt, but missed the second as the Pioneers escaped with a 39-38 road win.
“We knew they were going to play with a lot of emotion. They start four seniors — it's their Senior Night,” FCHS coach Marty Plum said. “We knew they were going to really bring it, intensity-wise, but I'm really proud of my kids for getting the job done when we did not play anywhere close to our best basketball.”
Tekamah and Calhoun meet again 5:30 p.m. today during the opening round of the Class C1-6 Subdistrict Tournament at Arlington High School. The Pioneers enter the game with a 15-7 record after winning it's last two regular season games. They topped Raymond Central on Friday, 53-44, but, first, edged the Tigers.
Thursday's game was tied, 27-27, after three quarters before FCHS took the largest lead of the fourth quarter for either team at 38-34. Freshman Raeann Massey, the Pioneers' lead scorer with 16 points, first made a short shot off of the glass for a two-point advantage before senior Bria Bench's putback made it a two-possession game.
Massey added a free throw down the final stretch, but Hansen still went to the foul line with a chance to tie after an offensive rebound with less than a second left. The guard scored her 23rd point on her first attempt, but shot the second attempt long off of the back of the rim.
As a result, Fort Calhoun celebrated the 14th win of its campaign.
“You have a couple of those a season. You have a grinder,” Plum said. “We just could not get into a rhythm on either end of the floor.”
The Pioneers seemingly did during the fourth quarter against Raymond Central, though. Trailing 39-37 at the start of the period Friday, they outscored the Mustangs 16-5 for a nine-point home victory.
Massey led FCHS again with 21 points, while both Ansley Elofson and Bench scored 10 apiece.
Kenzie TenEyck led 12-9 Raymond Central with 11 points in defeat.
FCHS GIRLS HOOPS LINE SCORES
Friday
Fort Calhoun 53, Raymond Central 44
RC (12-9) 13 17 9 5 — 44
FCHS (15-7) 13 14 10 16 — 53
Scoring: FCHS — Raeann Massey 21, Ansley Elofson 10, Bria Bench 10, Jovi Grenier 4, Izzy Greenough 3, Ella Bouwman 3, Maelie Nelson 2.
RC — Kenzie TenEyck 11, Savannah Masek 9, Taylor Kopecky 7, Alexa Otto 6, Q.Cotter 6, Taylor Oldfield 3, Jacey Hofpar 2.
Thursday
Fort Calhoun 39, Tekamah-Herman 38
FCHS (14-7) 13 4 10 12 — 39
TK (7-13) 13 6 8 11 — 38
Scoring: FCHS — Massey 16, Elofson 13, Bench 8, Bouwman 2.
TK — Preslee Hansen 23, Sammie Brodersen 7, Keira Pensyl 4, Addysen Lytle 2, Emily Stansberry 2.
