Eagles end run at state title with loss to Andover Central

Abby McCoy and Ellie Stucky, Co-editor-in-chief and Sports editor|March 8, 2019

DSC_5365-4
Senior Brandle Easter puts up a layup late in the fourth quarter.

In the end, it wasn’t meant to be.

The Eagles fell to Andover Central 74-66 Friday in the Class 5A semifinals, ending their run at a perfect season.

“Nothing really changes my mind about my kids,” coach Chris Grill said. “I think our guys are competitors who competed. I thought for the most part we did a very good job.” 

The Eagles entered the game with a 23-0 record. Win No. 24 will have to wait until Saturday’s third-place game.

“It’s obviously disappointing,” senior Chase Schreiner said. “That was a winnable game and we all know it. It just didn’t come out that way.”

Schreiner scored nine points for Maize, two of which were three-point baskets.

Devon Koehn, another of the 10 seniors on the team, said he thought the team played well.

“We didn’t get the result we wanted, but it’s wasn’t a lack of effort or focus,” said Koehn, who scored six points.

The game was back and forth throughout. Just before the end of the second quarter, Schreiner was fouled on a three-point attempt and made all three free throws. The teams were tied at the half.

The Eagles led 49-48 after three quarters when Caleb Grill banked in a three-pointer at the buzzer. The Eagles led 59-55 after senior Brandle Easter’s basket with 5:51 remaining.

However, Central outscored Maize 19-7 the rest of the way. Many of the points came at the at free-throw line, where the Jaguars made 20 of 22 attempts.

“There were some crucial moments of the game where I felt like we should’ve been better than we were, but I’m proud of them,” Grill said.

Caleb Grill led the Eagles with 22 points. Easter scored 15 and Cade McGaugh 12.

Easton Leedom (35 points) and Xavier Bell (25 points) combined for 60 of Central’s 74 points.

The Eagles will face Bishop Carroll or Basehor-Linwood at 2 p.m. Saturday in the third-place game.

“They played 25 games and have a chance to end the season with a win,” Chris Grill said. “I’m proud of these guys.”