First Quarter Leads To Lion Loss (1-17-09)
East Butler 72, Louisville boys 44
East Butler’s Ryan Dolezal scored 15 of his game high 26 points in the first quarter of play, leading the Tigers to a 72-44 victory over the Louisville Lions.

Dolezal, a 6’ 3” junior, also registered five steals in the first period, which East Butler converted into eight points as the Tigers jumped out to a 28-12 lead after eight minutes of play. The Lion defense buckled down in the second quarter, holding the Tigers to just 10 points but LHS couldn’t make up ground, scoring just eight points of their own, six of these coming from Louisville’s DJ Hobbs, as the Lions went into the break behind by a score of 38-20.

The Lions scored on their first three possessions of the second half when Adam Sparks and Logan Roecker nailed 17 foot jumpers followed by a Jesse Abbott three-pointer, making the score 40-27. But the Tigers completed the quarter on a 17-6 run as East Butler took a commanding 57-33 lead into the final period, then put the game out of reach when Ryley Cidlik scored back-to-back field goals within 20 seconds of one another early in the last quarter.

Hobbs added 12 rebounds to his team high 10 points with Sparks recording eight points and four boards. Cidlik joined Dolezal in double figure scoring with 17 points as the Tigers connected on 56% of their shots as a team.

Louisville, with a 3-7 season mark, remains on the road traveling to D. C. West next Tuesday, January 20 for a 7:30 contest.

Louisville junior forward DJ Hobbs drives to the hoop before being fouled by East Buter's Jake Niemann.

Photos compliments of Krambeck Photography
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Tigers Stay Unbeaten in ECNC (1-17-09)
East Butler 69, Louisville girls 55

East Butler remained unbeaten in ECNC action with a 69-55 victory over the visiting Louisville Lions. The Tigers record stands at 8-3 overall, 5-0 in conference play.

Marissa Bongers led the Tigers with 25 points, 16 coming in the first half as East Butler took a 37-27 half-time lead. Louisville’s guard tandem of Kelsey Gray and Tabby Gennaro paced the Lions first half attack with 10 and 9 points, respectively.

But neither scored a field goal after half-time while Bongers and her teammates expanded the Tiger lead. Louisville senior Chelsea Dillon picked up the slack, drilling three buckets during the third quarter but the balanced East Butler offense was difficult to defend.

LHS kept the game within reach by draining 12 of 14 free throws in the final quarter but the Tigers nearly matched that showing by going 9-for-13 from the line while adding field goals by Bongers, Brittany Karber and Kylee Sisel.

Gray finished with a team high 16 points for the Lions including a 6-for-6 showing from the charity stripe in the final quarter. Dillon was the only other Lion in double figures, scoring 10 points while Gennaro and Taylor Mohler added nine apiece.

Louisville, who saw their record fall to 4-7, visits the Falcons of D. C. West on Tuesday with tip-off scheduled for 6:00.

Chelsea Dillon (23) fouls East Butler's Marissa Bongers late in the game won by the Tigers, 69-55.

Photos compliments of Krambeck Photography
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