The North Central Thunder met the Northwestern Wildcats in Lake Region Conference league play last Friday in Mellette.

The Thunder girls got off to a great start with their 51-43 varsity win but the NC boys would then drop a 55-28 varsity outcome.

The NC girls had fallen behind 7-6 after quarter, but that wouldn't deter them for very long. That's because they would carry a 28-16 halftime lead into the lockers. The hosts would hang around, though and still trailed 38-28 with a quarter to play. But the Wildcats would only be able to trim their deficit to the final eight points.

The Thunder were led by Amree VanderVorst with 21 points, followed by Ella Batie and Alaina Dosch with 11 points apiece. VanderVortst included four treys and Dosch two treys. Sydney Bertsch was next with five points followed by Katelyn Engelhart, Ashton Heyne and Kaidence Bulgin with a free throw apiece.

The Wildcats were paced by Tara Blachford with 12 points but only six more players were able to score. (Two of them, the Ratigans did add eight points apiece.)

The Thunder utilized those six treys and eight accurate two-point floor shots and were able to connect on 17 free throws in 28 chances. Northwestern had 16 total baskets of which six were treys and were 5-13 in free throws.

The Thunder made 33 rebounds led by Batie with eight. The hosts had 45 rebounds led by Ashley Haven with 11. North Central had 18 turnovers and Northwestern seven.

BOYS

The NC boys were held to five first-quarter points while Northwestern had 17. In the second period the hosts would outscore their visitors 12-10 for a comfortable 29-15 halftime lead. The Wildcats still led 45-20 at the third break and it was all downhill for the hosts.

They were led by 22 points from Nathan Melius and 14 points from Lincoln Woodring. Four more additional Wildcats were able to score.

The Thunder got 15 points from Raynor Sprague including a trio of treys. Their next scorers would become Zane Haar and Dawson Walz with four points apiece. Brady Beitelspacher added three points and Cole Beitelspacher, two points.

The Thunder made seven two-point baskets and those accurate treys and were 5-14 in free throws. Their hosts countered with 21 deuces and two treys plus seven free throws.

The Wildcats captured 40 rebounds led by Woodring with 10 of them for a double-double. The Thunder grabbed 23 rebounds paced by Walz with seven and Haar with six.

The Thunder committed 17 turnovers and the Wildcats had 14 turnovers.