English Valleys move on after lopsided win over Meskwaki Settlement

NORTH ENGLISH – All year the English Valleys boys have exceeded expectations. 

Their latest win might have been their most impressive as the Bears were able to down Meskwaki Settlement in the first round of the class 1A district playoffs. 

English Valleys never trailed and won 83-58 to move into  the quarterfinals of their district bracket. 

In the first quarter of the Feb. 14 game the duo of Christian Tripses and Kane Axmear were able to continually create opportunities to score. 

The two players combined for 14 points as the Bears were able to claw their way to an early 22-4 lead after the first eight minutes.

For the second quarter freshman Tripses seemed to turn himself into an unstoppable force for the Bears. The freshman scored 17 points in the second quarter alone. That scoring effort helped the Bears double up the Warriors 44-20 at halftime. 

Scoring slowed down for Tripses in the third quarter as Meskwaki Settlement started to divert defensive players to help guard against him. That allowed Everett Bender and Tyler Lortz to take command of the scoring effort. Both scored seven points each and the Bears were able to keep their lead at nearly 30 points, 62-33. 

Bender and Lortz both scored just three points in the final quarter. Tripses added three points as well. Axmear would take command of the scoring effort for the Bears in the fourth quarter as  they were able to close out the game with a first-round district win. 

Tripses led all scoring with 30 points. He also had seven rebounds. Axmear had 16 points. 

Bender and Lortz both finished the game with 13 total points. 

Robert Patterson  scored five points. Ben Axmear added four points. Owen Mather finished the  game with three points scored. 

The victory not only advances the Bears in the district tournament, they also stand at 4-19  on the season. 

English Valleys played at North Mahaska on Feb. 17 in the district quarterfinals. Results from that game were not available at press time.