McCook Daily Gazette: High School Sports: Eustis-Farnam boys lose in D1-6 District Finals (03/03/10)

NORTH PLATTE -- Eustis-Farnam watched their boys state basketball tournament hopes fade in the fourth quarter Tuesday in the Class D1-6 District Final.

Sandhills/Thedford outscored E-F 22-13 in the final period to claim a 56-49 victory in the district final played at North Platte St. Pat's High School.

Eustis-Farnam led 14-10 after one quarter, but Sandhills/Thedford rallied to take a 22-19 halftime lead. E-F came back in the third quarter to grab a 36-34 lead before Sandhills/Therford pulled away in the closing eight minutes.

Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette Eustis-Farnam guard Djorn Dunlap (13) uses a screen set by teammate Drew Wetovick (11, left) against Sandhills/Thedford 's Brady Marten (11, center) in the Class D1-6 District Final Tuesday at North Platte St. Pat's High School. Eustis-Farnam dropped a 56-49 decision as Sandhills-Thedford advanced to the D-1 state tournament.

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Drew Wetovick led E-F with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals. Djorn Dunlap added 12 points. Kale Anderson led Sandhills/Thedford with 20 points.

Free throws played a big part in the game's outcome. Eustis-Farnam made only 5 of 12 charity shots for 41.7 percent, while Sandhills/Thedford was 15 of 21 at the line for 71.4 percent. E-F also shot 41.7 percent from the floor, hitting 20 of 48 field goals, while the winners were 19 of 38 from the field for 50 percent.

Eustis-Farnam head coach Bobby Johnson said Sandhills/Thedford surprised his team with their defensive effort.

"We knew that Sandhills/Thedford would keep coming at us and that is exactly what they did," Coach Johnson said. "What we didn't expect was an aggressive man defense. They made shots very difficult for us. Best wishes to them at state."

Coach Johnson thanked his senior trio of Jorden Bendler, Ben Kugler and Drew Wetovick for a wonderful four years.

Eustis-Farnam ends the year with a 16-6 record.

Sandhills/Thedford takes an 18-6 record to the Class D-1 state tournament in Lincoln.

Sandhills/Thedford..........10 12 12 22 -- 56

Eustis-Farnam boys...........14 5 17 13 -- 49

SANDHILLS/THEDFORD -- Kale Anderson 20, Matt Thomas 19, Cole Seeley 5, Ty Kelles 4, Jason Elliott 3, Tyler Lee 2, Ty Sierks 2, Brady Marten 1.

EUSTIS-FARNAM -- Drew Wetovick 14, Djorn Dunlap 12, Jorden Bendler 8, Carson Bellamy 7, Ben Kugler 6, Braden Rieker 2.