HHS junior Kristin Vieselmeyer gets by Otis defenders and shoots a layup during Friday night’s action. She scored 29 points in the game, as well as a career-high 33 points and 18 rebounds in Saturday’s game with Brush. — The Holyoke Enterprise | Johnson Publications
3 games, 3 wins
“It was a good start.”
Coach John Baumgartner was excited and pleased after the Lady Dragon varsity basketball team finished its first week of action with three wins.
The shortened season will be fast and furious as the team packs in 14 regular-season games between Jan. 29 and March 5. These first three — Perkins County, Otis and Brush — were all nonleague matches.
On top of that, the players and their families are dealing with restrictions due to COVID-19.
“I give our kids all the credit in the world right now,” said Baumgartner, noting they did a great job of wearing masks throughout the games. And their families and the school staff should be commended on the procedures that were followed at the first two home games of the season.
Holyoke 45, Perkins County 29
The Lady Dragons kicked off the season with a game against Perkins County in Grant, Nebraska, on Tuesday, Jan. 26.
The good thing: There were no limits on the fans who could attend due to less-strict Nebraska regulations.
The bad thing: Perkins County had already played more than a dozen games because its season started at the normal time in 2020.
“You could tell it was our first game,” said Baumgartner.
Nevertheless, Holyoke put up 15 points in the first half to lead by six points.
The Lady Dragons kicked it up a notch in the third quarter, said Baumgartner. They topped Perkins County 20-6 in third-quarter scoring.
Another 10 points in the fourth quarter gave Holyoke the 45-29 win.
Baumgartner said he has to give Perkins County credit; they really made Holyoke work for every point.
He added that the Lady Dragons controlled the tempo defensively, and he was pleased with the balanced scoring effort from his team. One thing they needed to work on: free throws. The team made eight out of 16 for 50%.
Stat leaders included junior Kristin Vieselmeyer with 21 points from eight 2-pointers and five for 10 from the line. She also landed 13 rebounds. Elyce Talavera grabbed five steals, and Audrey Talavera and Lauren Herman both recorded four assists.
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