The Sully Buttes Charger girls suffered their first loss of the season, and the boys had opportunities to win their first game, but the hometown Miller Rustlers came away victorious both times by the scores of 56-29 in the girls matchup, while the boys ended with a 76-59 victory on their home court at the Armory in Miller.
The Charger girls were without leading scorer Lydia Hill, but the taller, stronger Rustlers denied any type of Charger offensive attack, and on their offensive end scored on breakaway layups and hot shooting from the field.
Leading the way for the 6-1 Rustlers was Morgan Kolda, who finished with 25 points, while Tyra Gates added 14. The Chargers were led in scoring by Allyson Wittler, who totaled 8 points for the 7-1 Chargers. Miller outscored Sully Buttes 32-11 in the second half to seal the Chargers fate.
The Charger boys meanwhile led at the end of the first-second-and third quarters, but fell apart in the fourth, and were outscored 31-12 in the final frame. The Rustlers found their game, and hit 11 of 12 free throws to help their cause in the fourth quarter, and push their record to 4-3. The Chargers meanwhile dropped to 0-6 on the season.
Both Sully Buttes teams had cold nights shooting on the floor, but that wasn’t the sole cause; Millers’ girls and boys played solid defense, and out-rebounded the Chargers on both ends of the court.
The Charger girls will have to get back to the court tonight to face the 7-0 Timber Lake Panthers, while the Charger boys will be on the road again Saturday at the Pheasant Shootout in Redfield, and will play the host team the 5-2 Class A Redfield Pheasants. Of the Charger boys first six opponents, three are in Class A.
