A year after falling in the first round of the 2A state tournament in Manhattan, the Ness City Eagles made the trip back to state looking to better last season’s performance. The Eagles, at 20-3 matched up with the Madison/Hamilton Bulldogs who were also 20-3, in the four vs. five game.

After opening with a pair of Collin Foos free throws, the Eagles led 2-0. Madison answered back with a 6-0 run to lead 6-2. Dalton Gantz gave the Eagles a 9-8 lead with a three-pointer, Gantz poured in seven of his 10 points in the first quarter. The Bulldogs finished the first quarter on a 6-2 run and led 17-13 after one.

Madison opened the second quarter with a 19-13 lead; six would be the largest lead of the game. Madison led 21-15 before the Eagles came streaking back, putting together a 6-0 run to take a 22-21 lead behind four points from Wyatt Beckman. The two teams traded the lead to end the second quarter before Madison’s Tyler Williams scored his ninth point of the game giving Madison a 25-24 halftime lead.

The Eagles opened the second half on a 9-2 run and took their largest lead of the game at 33-28. Beckman and Collin Foos combined for eight points giving the Eagles a 34-33 lead after three quarters. After outscoring the Bulldogs in the second and third quarters the Eagles jumped out to a 38-35 lead to begin the fourth quarter, but that would be the last time the Eagles would lead in the game.

Madison’s leading scorer Tyler Williams pulled down three offensive rebounds in the final period and poured in 14 of his game-high 25 points helping the Bulldogs outscore the Eagles 14-9 in the fourth quarter as Madison picked up the 47-43 win.

Wyatt Beckman was six-of-eight from the free throw line and had a team high 12 points for the Ness City Eagles. Collin Foos chipped in 10 points and six rebounds and Drew Clarke pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. Ness City’s season comes to an end at 20-4.