Panthers drop Buffaloes 44-33 in season opener
Derek Holmes made a successful return to the coaching ranks.
Holmes, who guided the Concordia High School girls' team to a Class 4A state championship in 2009, is back on the bench as the Panther boys' coach this season.
Concordia opened its season with a 44-33 victory over the Republic County Buffaloes Tuesday night in the Concordia Junior-Senior High School gymnasium.
“It is great to be coaching again. You get the adrenaline going. I enjoyed it,” Holmes said of the first game. “This is a great group of kids. They are fun to coach. They work hard.”
The Panthers were originally scheduled to open the season by hosting Beloit last Friday night, but that game was postponed.
Concordia had practice halted for two weeks after students in grades 7-12 moved to remote learning.
Coming off a week of practice, the Panthers scored the first five points of the game and never trailed in knocking off a Republic County team that had practiced just once after having its activities halted for a week.
“I was very proud of their effort and their energy and enthusiasm. They have really bought into the program,” Holmes said. “It was good to just be out playing again, competing. We needed to start off with a win; that was important for our confidence.”
Republic County would go nearly four minutes without scoring to start the game before Blake Aurand made trips to the free throw line on consecutive possessions and knocked down two of four attempts to make it a 5-2 game.
A basket by Wyatt Trost, two free throws by Nick Vignery and a three-point shot by Cav Carlgren pushed Concordia's lead to 12-2.
Aurand, the only Republic County player to score in the first quarter, again went one of two from the line, and it was 12-3 heading into the second quarter.
Tyler Hobrock and Trost each scored early in the second period, and the Panthers led 16-3.
Concordia, hampered by foul trouble, would manage just three points over the next five minutes.
Hobrock and Chase Parker each picked up a third foul during that stretch.
“Foul trouble hurt us,” Holmes said. “Our bigs got into foul trouble, and we talk about next man up, and I thought Aceyn (Cash) really came in and gave us a big lift off the bench.
Cash, a 6-3 sophomore, hit three of four field goal attempts and one of two free throws in scoring seven points, and also grabbed 10 rebounds.
Republic County got its first field goal of the game when Trevor Lewellyn made a layup 2:30 into the second period.
A three-point play by Trey Melton got the Buffaloes within eight points, 16-8.
Cash completed a three-point play, but Republic County made three of four free throws, and it was 19-12.
Carlgren hit a baseline jumper and Trost went three of four from the free throw line in a span of 26 seconds to give Concordia a 24-12 cushion.
Lewellyn made one of two free throws, and Republic County trailed 24-13 at halftime.
The Buffaloes scored the first five points of the second half to close the gap to 24-18.
“We kind of just let them hang around,” Holmes said. “We have got to get that mentality that we are going to put teams away.”
Concordia would use an 11-5 spurt to go on top, 35-23.
Caleb Bates scored for Republic County, and it was a 35-25 game going into the final eight minutes.
A jumper by Carter White got the Buffaloes within eight points, 35-27, early in the fourth quarter.
Trost outscored Republic County 7-2 over the next four minutes to put the Panthers up 42-39.
Scoring eight points in the fourth quarter, Trost finished with a game high 17. He was 6 of 10 from the floor and five of seven from the line, and had five rebounds.
“I thought Wyatt really stepped up that second half and gave us a big lift,” Holmes said.
Republic County got no closer than 11 points over the final three minutes of the game.
Carlgren scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds for Concordia.
The Panthers shot 47 percent (16 of 34) from the field and 55 percent from the free throw line.
“We have a long way to go, but I feel confident we are going to get there,” Holmes said. “I would say the three things we need to improve on the most are making good decisions, taking care of the ball and we can't afford to miss so many free throws and chip shots.”
White led the way for Republic County with eight points, all in the second half.
Concordia will play at Smoky Valley on Friday night.
Smoky Valley dropped its opener to Southeast of Saline, 65-37.
“Going down there it is always tough, but we will be ready to play,” Holmes said,
REPUBLIC COUNTY (33)
Melton 1-1-3 3, Lewellyn 2-1-2 5, Boyer 0-0-3 0, Thumann 2-0-4 4, White 3-0-1 8, Bates 1-2-2 4, Stindt 1-2-3 4, Aurand 0-5-2 5. Totals: 10-11-20 33.
CONCORDIA (44)
Francis 0-0-1 0, Vignery 0-3-2 3, Trost 6-5-2 17, Cash 3-1-3 7, Carlgren 3-1-1 8, Henderson 0-0-1 0, Hobrock 2-1-3 5, Parker 2-0-4 4. Totals; 16-11-17 44.