BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Boys basketball
West Central 59, Caston 52 (Friday): Logan Mollenkopf scored 18 points to lead three players in double figures, but West Central snapped Caston’s seven-game winning streak and eliminated the Comets in a Class 1A, Sectional 50 semifinal at Tri-County Friday.
Lane Hook added 14, including six in the fourth quarter, and Reed Sommers had five of his 11 in the fourth.
Christian Hughes scored nine of his game-high 19 in the fourth quarter to lead the Trojans. Freshman Brady Bishop added 16, and Bryce Nannenga had 12.
Caston lost despite making more free throws (19) than West Central attempted (18).
Caston led 23-22 at halftime. West Central led 39-38 after three quarters.
Caston finished 13-11. Max Sommers and Jan Aguilar-Mendez are the graduating seniors. All five starters are expected to return next year.
West Central beat Caston in a sectional game for the first time since 2007. Caston eliminated West Central in 2015 and 2024.
West Central will play a Tri-County, a 49-45 winner over Pioneer in the second semifinal, at 6 p.m. tonight in the sectional final. West Central has not won a sectional since 2005.
WEST CENTRAL (59) (17-7)
Miller 1 0-0 2, Grindstaff 3 1-4 9, Bishop 6 3-3 16, Nannenga 4 4-6 12, C. Hughes 9 1-5 19, Leman 0 0-0 0, L. Hughes 0 1-2 1, Huber 0 0-0 0
TEAM: 23 10-18 59
CASTON (52) (13-11)
Drew McGrew 0 0-0 0, Reed Sommers 3 4-4 11, Logan Mollenkopf 6 4-8 18, Gavin Mollenkopf 0 3-4 3, Lane Hook 3 7-8 14, Jan Aguilar-Mendez 1 0-0 3, Carson Harness 1 0-0 2, Owen Chapman 0 1-2 1, Gage Thomas 0 0-0 0, Max Sommers 0 0-0 0, Tucker Woolever 0 0-0 0, Parker Zimpleman 0 0-0 0
TEAM: 14 19-26 52
Three-point field goals:
West Central 3 (Grindstaff 2, Bishop),
Caston 5 (L. Mollenkopf 2, R. Sommers, Aguilar-Mendez, Hook)
Total fouls: West Central 23, Caston 17
Fouled out: J. Miller (WC)
Technical foul: C. Hughes (WC)
Score by quarters
West Central 7 15 17 20 – 59
Caston 15 8 15 14 – 52
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