WHEATLAND - In the only regular season matchup, the Bulldogs hosted the Glenrock Herders at home Friday night. Glenrock came into the game 3-1 in the Northeast Wyoming Conference and 5-7 overall.
Mirroring the girls’ game, the tip was controlled by the Bulldogs, but with a foul committed by senior Lee Raser, the Herders were on the charity stripe, and were the first on the scoreboard with two.
Senior Brock Peasley got the Bulldogs on the board followed by a three hit by senior Bryce Stenson. The two teams began to exchange points, and with another basket from three-point-land from Stenson, the Bulldogs captured their first lead 9-8. The Herders were able to keep up until Stenson hit yet another three; his third in three minutes’ worth of play. However, Glenrock was able to keep pace and established a three-point lead at the end of 1st quarter play, 12-15.
Freshman Tate Nichols was the first Bulldog to score in the second period, draining another three but the Herders refused to be put down. Junior Jacob Hyche grabbed a big board and with a nice put-back, tied the score 17-17. Senior Lee Raser, while taking smart shots, was having a hard time finding an open bucket. Hyche was able to score again, and the Bulldogs regained their lead. By the end of the 2nd quarter, the Bulldogs had outscored their opponent 11-2, and the score at the half was 23-17, Wheatland.
Stenson’s flame had not been put out during the halftime break and was good for 17 points by the time the 3rd quarter was underway. With Raser finally able to drain a bucket, the Bulldogs had run away with a 15-point lead. The officials were not letting anything go and both teams were plagued with personal fouls, putting Wheatland on the foul line three times in the first minutes of the half.
Tagg Mickelsen hit a bucket and the score was 43-26 by the end of 3rd period action. Yet again, Wheatland outscored Glenrock 20-9.
Fourth quarter play started getting messy with loose balls and continued fouling, however, Raser was able to score midway through the period and Stenson sent a dish to senior Brock Peasley for an assist. After a very brief possession by the Herders, Peasley drove in for another quick bucket.
Turnovers were the Herders’ enemy as they committed 25 during the course of the game.
Action ended with a dominant Bulldog lead 51-35, with Bryce Stenson leading in scoring with 19 points. Hyche and Peasley each added 10 points, Raser put in six, Nichols added five, and Mickelson contributed two. The Bulldogs rebounded 27 times as a team and shot an impressive 71 percent from the free-throw line.
