Lady 'Cats avenge loss to Santa Fe

SLATER -- Senior Rachel Gonzalez could leave the court following her final home game with a feeling of satisfaction, and having exorcised a horrific memory.

Nearly four weeks earlier, the Slater girls' basketball team lost its first-round contest in the 28th Wildcat Classic to Santa Fe by four points after blowing a 17-point first-half lead -- Gonzalez shooting a woeful two of 14 from the field.

However, Gonzalez and the Lady Wildcats avenged that defeat Monday with a 59-44 non-conference victory, the all-Lewis and Clark Conference guard scoring 19 points -- seven in the fourth quarter.

The Lady Chiefs were ahead 20-17 after one period behind senior Molly Blomberg's 12 points, most on three goals from three-point range, but Slater recovered with a 16-5 second period -- Gonzalez tallying seven points and junior Niki Kruger making three buckets.

That proved more than Santa Fe could overcome, especially with sophomore Ana Jackson scoring eight second-half points for the Purple.

Blomberg finished with 20 points and senior Dani Heimsoth had 13 for the Lady Chiefs (11-13), who close out the regular season at home Thursday against Hardin-Central.

Kruger had 13 points, five steals and five assists for the Lady 'Cats (16-8). They play at league foe Marceline today.

There was no reason to believe the boys' game would be competitive, and it wasn't -- the I-70 Conference-champion Chiefs handing Slater its 20th loss of the season, 75-28.

Senior Ben Catlett hit a pair of threes and senior Taylor Wesley scored three times during Santa Fe's 24-7 first-quarter spree, the gap growing to 27 points by halftime.

Wesley wound up with 15 points and senior Bryan Sander added a dozen for the Chiefs (22-2).

The Wildcats (3-20) got 11 points from senior Zach Calhoun.