Bulldogs finish 11th in RPI standings

In the final week of regular season action, the Haxtun Bulldogs went 1-1 with a big win over Otis and a loss to Sedgwick County, both games on the road last week. The Bulldogs finished 11th in Colorado 1A RPI standings and with an overall 9-5 record so far this season.

Despite delays and push backs from the State surrounding COVID-19 restrictions, Colorado High School basketball got underway in mid-January and after a wild, jampacked season, the Haxtun Bulldogs head into the post season as the 11th seeded team in 1A. Twenty-four teams will complete in a modified State playoff bracket with Championships slated for next week.

To wrap up the regular season, Haxtun traveled to Otis for a mid-week contest with the Bulldogs. Haxtun claimed a 70-27 victory to notch their eighth win of the season.

Junior Owen Knode put 16 points on the board against Otis, the Bulldog team high, followed by senior Ryan Tempel with 14.

"We played pretty solid defense all night," said Jayden Stieb, Bulldog Head Coach. "We were able to get our bench in early and the bench did a great job of coming in and taking care of business."

Three nights later, the Bulldogs were on the road again, this time to Ovid to take on the Cougars of Sedgwick County. Haxtun put up 10 points in the first quarter, trailing by just two after the initial eight minutes, but the Cougars turned the heat on in the second to go onto hold a 30-17 advantage at the half. Sedgwick County went on to add 15 points in the third and 16 in the fourth for a final 61-33 win.

"We did a lot of things right but we weren't able to make the easy shots," Stieb said. "When the easy ones don't go down it effects how we play on the defensive end. The effort and intensity were there, we just let the little things beat us."

Now in post-season action, the Bulldog team hosted Simla in the first round of the State playoffs on Tuesday night. Simla entered as the number 22 team in the 24-team bracket with an overall 8-6 record. That game was played in Haxtun just after press time.

If the Bulldogs snatched a victory over Simla, they advance to play Primero, the number-six seated team, on Thursday, March 11 in the sweet 16.

Watch for information and updates on the Haxtun Fightin' Bulldogs Booster Club Facebook page for contest info this week. The Herald will have complete coverage of Bulldog playoff basketball action in next week's edition.