DODGE CITY — A 15-4 run over the final 6:26 of the game propelled second-seeded Coldwater-South Central High School to a 52-38 win over the seventh-seeded Clifton-Clyde High School Eagles in the opening round of the Class 1A-Division I state tournament played March 13 at the United Wireless Arena.
Clifton-Clyde, after trailing by as many as 14 points in the third quarter, made it a 37-34 game when Luke Nobert connected on his second three-point shot with 6:26 remaining.
The Eagles would be limited to just four free throws as South Central pulled away.
Clifton-Clyde, making a third consecutive appearance in the state tournament, finished the season 17-7.
South Central defeated defending state champion Montezuma-South Gray 64-49 in the semifinals before falling 47-34 to Olpe in the championship game.
South Gray knocked off Central Plains 66-56 in the third-place game.
Clifton-Clyde led South Central just once in the opening round game at 2-0.
The Timberwolves scored the next nine points to go on top to stay.
Two free throws by Jack Skocny left Clifton-Clyde trailing 9-4.
The Eagles were scoreless over the final 3:23 of the first quarter and South Central scored four points to go up 13-4.
Clifton-Clyde used an 8-3 spurt to open the second period to close the gap to 16-12.
Skocny, a 6-4 senior averaging 25 points per game, picked up his third foul and had to go to the bench.
Consecutive three-point shots by Jamie Gardea and Jase Rutherford gave South Central a 22-12 advantage.
Ethan Sacco hit a three for Clifton-Clyde.
A jumper by Jack Herd put South Central on top 24-15.
Sacco made one of two free throws, and the Eagles trailed 24-16 halftime.
Scoring the first six points of the second half, the Timberwolves opened up a 30-16 lead.
Skocny scored eight straight points to make it 30-24.
Rutherford followed up a missed shot, and it was a 32-24 game.
Nobert and Skocny drilled threes and Clifton-Clyde trailed just 32-30 with 1:20 to play in the third quarter.
Herd scored on a drive for South Central.
The two teams traded free throws and the Timberwolves led 35-31 heading into the fourth quarter.
Gardea, who led South Central with 15 points, hit from 12 feet early in the final period.
The three by Nobert pulled Clifton-Clyde within three points.
The Eagles would not score from the field again.
South Central scored six points in 1:17 to go on top 43-34.
Skocny, who finished with 18 points and 13 rebounds, and Trextin Koch combined to go three of five from the free throw line to get the Eagles within six points, 43-37.
That is as close as Clifton-Clyde would get.
The Eagles shot just 24 percent (10 of 41) from the field and committed 19 turnovers.
Herd scored 12 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for South Central.
Rutherford added 11 points and eight rebounds.
