LUSK – Niobrara County High School moved to 13-4 on the season and 3-1 in quadrant play after last Friday night’s win over Lingle-Fort Laramie at Tiger Gym. Highlighting the big win, Tiger senior Cory Bruegger joined the 1000 point club.

Facing the Wyopreps coaches and media’s top-ranked 2A team, Lusk was up to the task. Bruegger had the first five points and Nathan Miller added a three pointer, yet the Tigers held a slim 16-14 lead after one stanza.

Corbin Matthews buried a triple to open a seven point lead for Lusk, but the visitors knotted the game at 24. Getting close to the break, the teams traded leads with treys by Brady Swisher and Aidan Mattheus helping NCHS into the locker room with a 36-32 advantage.

Just 20 seconds into the third quarter Bruegger tipped away a Dogger pass to Mattheus, and the LFL transfer dished it back to Bruegger for the layup. The eager, packed crowd erupted with cheers, and head coach Ed Fullmer called a quick timeout to absorb the moment.

The energy spurted an 8-0 run and another three pointer from Matthews bumped it to a dozen. With the third running out, Lusk was on top 56-47. Mattheus moved the scoreboard back to 12 with a trey, and when the Tigers lead became 20 points, Fullmer cleared the bench as Lusk went on to the 82-67 victory. 

SCORE BY QUARTERS

LFLHS 14-18-15-20--67

NCHS 16-20-20-26--82

TEAM STATS

LFLHS 18/28 FG; 6/19 3PT; 13/20 FT; 20 REB; 18 AST; 9 STL; 20 TO; 18 PF

NCHS 23/47 FG; 7/19 3PT; 15/22 FT; 41 REB; 17 AST; 16 STL; 16 TO; 18 PF

NCHS PLAYER STATS: Scoring- Mattheus 24, Bruegger 20, Matthews 11, Miller 9, Brott 4, Smith 4, Kupke 4, Swisher 3, Bieri 3. Rebounds- Bruegger 9, Mattheus 6, Miller 5, Assists- Mattheus 7, Bruegger 6. Steals- Mattheus 5.

GUERNSEY – Monday night the Tigers were without a couple starters, but once adjusted, finished the first quarter on an 8-2 run. It was 14-4 for Lusk after one and Matthews buried back to back treys in the second quarter, pushing it to 24-9. A 10-5 Tiger run moved it to 34-14 at the break, before the floodgates opened up.

Matthews and Kupke each buried a pair of long bombs, with Matthews’ final one coming at the buzzer for the 61-22 lead. In the final period, Charlie Gaukel and Swisher each hit threes, and Matthews put his fifth trey in as the Tigers cruised to the 78-27 win.

The C squad defeated Sioux County, Neb. Friday afternoon by a 59-35 score. Ryan Youngquist led the Tigers with 18 points, while Keen Coffman added 13 and Hudson Leimser scored 12.

This week the Tigers host Burns for Senior Night with junior varsity at 4 p.m. before varsity at 7 p.m. On Saturday NCHS visits Southeast for junior varsity at 11:30 a.m. and varsity at 2:30 p.m.

QUARTER SCORES

NCHS 14-20-27-27--78

GSHS 4-10-8-5--27