Day Games with Burchfield! Bulldogs on Top
Most of the games during the season will be at either 6 or 7 o clock... But on November 17th, the games were mid-day during school - beginning at noon and 1 PM (no JV games today). There is definitely a different feel to a mid-day slate of games. Some players seem to thrive on that mid-day energy. The fanbase also feels different with a much larger percentage of the crowd being students. So with Burchfield bussing in from Scott County - would the Bulldogs be able to continue their winning ways? Or would they make the Dogs hit the skids?
Up first at noon were the Lady Dogs. They came into this one on a two-game win streak, looking to make it three. So far this season, the Dogs have been very dependent on strong post play - but the middle was ultra-crowded today. This would be a true test to see if we could attack from another front. The ladies looked strong on their press - keeping near constant pressure on their Burchfield counterparts. With the middle clogged up, today was a day for the shooters to make it rain. The Lady dogs came out on top 45-25 for their fourth win of the season!
Up next was the boys. They also come into this one at 3-1 looking for their fourth win of the season. There was a distinct size advantage for Wartburg - but let's be honest - when you have Isaac Sills and Haden Green - that's normally true. A size advantage doesn't always get you the win - but in this one - Isaac was untouchable. Coming into the game averaging a little more than 12 points per game - The Window exploded for a season-high 24 points. His soft touch on his shot meant that everything was falling. Sills was a popular target from his teammates on the perimeter - and this one got out of hand in a hurry. Rotating in some younger players toward the end meant that Burchfield got a late surge - making it seem closer than it really was - but the Bulldogs cruised to victory 47-32.
Below are a few thoughts meant to encourage some of our young athletes that went above and beyond against Burchfield:
Up first at noon were the Lady Dogs. They came into this one on a two-game win streak, looking to make it three. So far this season, the Dogs have been very dependent on strong post play - but the middle was ultra-crowded today. This would be a true test to see if we could attack from another front. The ladies looked strong on their press - keeping near constant pressure on their Burchfield counterparts. With the middle clogged up, today was a day for the shooters to make it rain. The Lady dogs came out on top 45-25 for their fourth win of the season!
Up next was the boys. They also come into this one at 3-1 looking for their fourth win of the season. There was a distinct size advantage for Wartburg - but let's be honest - when you have Isaac Sills and Haden Green - that's normally true. A size advantage doesn't always get you the win - but in this one - Isaac was untouchable. Coming into the game averaging a little more than 12 points per game - The Window exploded for a season-high 24 points. His soft touch on his shot meant that everything was falling. Sills was a popular target from his teammates on the perimeter - and this one got out of hand in a hurry. Rotating in some younger players toward the end meant that Burchfield got a late surge - making it seem closer than it really was - but the Bulldogs cruised to victory 47-32.
Below are a few thoughts meant to encourage some of our young athletes that went above and beyond against Burchfield:
Two Top Guns
The Lady Dogs are at their best when they spread the work around. They have had as many as 11 girls score in one game in prior victories. In this victory - they went the other direction - having only 4 score field goals (with one extra score via foul shots). Two-thirds of the points came from some usual suspects. Eighth-grader Braylee "The Dagger" Dagley seems to get written about after every game. She is a try-hard athlete that always wants to contribute. One on-looker simply said, "Braylee was the best all around today". Great work to the Dagger as she tied for the team lead with 15.
The other Lady Dog that dropped 15 was Killa' Kam Melton. Coming into this game averaging 4.5 points per game, Melton was ready for a surge - and surge she did! Always able to jump routes, create chaos, and take over a game - it all came together in this one when the Lady Dogs needed another difference maker in a bad way. Melton came into this game with 18 points over 4 games... and she nearly doubled her total with 15 more today! What a game - Don't hurt 'em Killa' Kam!
The other Lady Dog that dropped 15 was Killa' Kam Melton. Coming into this game averaging 4.5 points per game, Melton was ready for a surge - and surge she did! Always able to jump routes, create chaos, and take over a game - it all came together in this one when the Lady Dogs needed another difference maker in a bad way. Melton came into this game with 18 points over 4 games... and she nearly doubled her total with 15 more today! What a game - Don't hurt 'em Killa' Kam!
Philly Time
One player that doesn't get enough recognition is Peyton "P-Philly" Phillips. Out of 16 girls on the team - and only 5 games in - P-Philly is one of two Lady Dogs that have managed points in every single game of the season. Currently sitting 4th on the team in total points - Peyton had her season-high with 9 today - and she contributes in a variety of other ways beyond scoring. She is a smart athlete that has a knack for knowing where to be - but she has the athleticism to get there in time to beat the opponent and make life difficult on both sides of the ball. Fundamentally sound - she has the look of someone that is playing hard on the court, and studying you while she's resting on the bench... but she doesn't take a play off. Great work P-Philly!
Carving out a Role
We've just wrapped up carving pumpkins - and we're headed toward carving turkeys. One girl for the Lady Dogs that is fighting for minutes and carving out a role is young gun Maddox Morgan. Getting some looks toward the end of the last couple of games - she has managed to score in both games. Today's game she was put on the free throw line for two shots - and she went 2/2. While the Dogs have struggled with free throws this year - Morgan took a deep breath and knocked down two without issue. Developing young players like Morgan will be key for the future of Wartburg basketball (especially losing several quality 8th graders (i.e. B. Dagley, K. Melton, E. Ritter, T. Knight) after this season).
The Window Can Slam Shut
I've already said that Isaac Sills hit a season-high scoring in today's game... but I didn't mention the blocks. He's The Window because he's always open on offense... but that same window can slam shut on defense. The smaller Burchfield team tried to drive into the paint and shoot underhand layups a few times - and if Isaac was in the same zip code - he dropped the long arm of the law on several. At one point - he even blocked a shot with two hands like he was playing volleyball and blocking a spike at the net. He's big, but he doesn't always play big. Today, the big man played BIG - and Wartburg had a hay day because of his efforts. Apparently, Mr. Sills likes a day game!
Baby Chocolate?
One of my favorite basketball players in Wartburg is high school junior - Gavin Keathley. If you don't know Gavin - you really should. I've always said, "There's only one Gavin"... Keathley is crazy, silly, fun, and goofy - and he goes by the moniker "White Chocolate". My older son, who plays on the Wartburg High School basketball team brings home daily stories of the antics of White Chocolate... So I wondered... who is the Gavin Keathley of Wartburg Central Middle School... After asking several players that very question - one response kept coming up... "Probably Hunter Francis"... The seventh-grade Francis apparently has a silly side to him - or at least a chocolate side... Francis got a few minutes late in the fourth - and he was seen duking it out in the paint, grabbing several rebounds, and taking several shots. There's a warrior inside of Francis... with a touch of the sillies... Today - Baby Chocolate was born!
That's it for this time! I hope you've enjoyed the DogBlitz... Next up is Rockwood on Thursday, Nov 20 where we will see the debut game of the Girls Junior Varsity along with the regularly scheduled Varsity for both boys and girls!
Go Dogs!
