COZAD – Cozad students arrived for the “Black-Out” match-up with Sutherland, not knowing that they would experience a blackout, literally.

 Behind a raucous and loud student section, the Cozad teams played some of their best basketball of the season.

 The girls’ used a huge run in the first quarter, as the Lady Sailors couldn’t recover, and the Haymakers came out on top 52-41.

 The girls’ started off the first quarter by building lots of momentum, going on a 10-2 run.

 Cozad took an early 16-7 lead after the first quarter, before tying the second quarter, but the lead was still nine points, as Cozad led 26-17.

 Sutherland came out the second half and cut down the deficit to six, as Cozad led 37-31 after three.

 The Haymakers stood their ground and played the buzzer sounded, outscoring the Sailors 15-10 in the fourth to take the win.

 “We came out playing some really good basketball early in the game,” said head coach Will Reutzel. “Offensively, we were able to get some good looks inside and some open shots on the perimeter. It was a good win after about a week off.”

 Three Haymakers scored in double figures as Jessica Finnegan scored 12 points, Carly Henry had 12 points and Carlie Pinkelman scored 11 points. Senior Kendra Harbison scored seven points, with Kaylea Reyes scoring six points. Nicole Zook rounded out the scoring, as she got two points on the night.

 The win improves the girls’ to 6-11 on the season with two tough game to come, at home against Minden and on the road at Perkins County.

 The boys’ game saw its share of excitement, as the loud crowd rattled the Sailors, as Cozad got its first win of the season at home, winning 51-39.

 The Haymakers played physical ball all throughout the game, but more noticeably in the first quarter, as the Haymakers started out with a 17-6 lead after one quarter. The middle school section kept Sutherland on their toes, especially at the free throw line, where they had tons of trouble.

 Cozad used that big first quarter lead to stay ahead of Sutherland the entire game, as the Sailors couldn’t cut into the lead at halftime, trailing 27-16.

 The third quarter was just as physical, as both teams turned the ball over numerous times, as the Haymakers won the third quarter 9-7 to extend their lead to 36-23.

 The fourth quarter proved to be extremely exciting, as the Makers and Sailors traded baskets for much of the final period. With a couple of minutes remaining, the north part of the gymnasium went completely dark, as the game was delayed for about 10 minutes as players waited and warmed up again, waiting for the lights to warm up.

 Cozad students kept the crowd loud and crazy, running across the floor while staff workers attempted to fix the lights.

 Play finally resumed and the Haymakers ran down the clock to seal the victory. The student section roared in excitement as the final buzzer sounded, giving the Haymaker seniors their first home win of their career.

 Mason Fischer led the charge for the Haymakers, as he scored a team-high 11 points. Senior Jordan Hickenbottom played a fiery game, scoring 10 points, grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out four assists. Jed Paulsen and Jon Kuklis also played great for the Makers, as Paulsen scored 10 points and Kuklis scored eight points.

 “It was a nice win for us,” head coach Scott Foster said. “ I thought the boys played hard and had a complete game. Our crowd was amazing. It was the first time in awhile we had a home court advantage. They were loud and gave us energy. I was pleased with our defense, I thought we stepped up and got in their face. Offensively, we were a little more patient and got better possessions.”

 The win for Cozad improves them to 3-12 on the season, snapping the Haymakers’ 11-game losing streak, and giving the Makers a little confidence as they take on No.7 Minden at home. A win over the Whippets could give Cozad their biggest home win in years.

 Sutherland fell to 4-11 with the loss.

 The Minden game is set for Feb. 5.

• Cozad Basketball
• Cozad Boys Basketball
• Cozad Girls Basketball
• Cozad Haymakers

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