In a double-header matchup with Hermitage Friday night, Walnut Grove held the Hornets below 20 points in one game and broke the century mark in the other.
While leads were large enough to trigger the turbo clock in both games, each told a completely different story.
Girls
The opener saw the 7th-ranked Hermitage girls fall to three-time defending state champions 49-14.
While Walnut Grove entered the game unranked this season, Tiger post Raylie Hejna proved to be a matchup nightmare for the Hornets. The 6' Hejna posted a game-high 23 points for Walnut Grove and dominated the low post area in half-court sets, a style coach Rory Henry likes to call ground-and-pound.
"She's an amazingly-talented kid," Henry said. "I definitely helps to have a kid of that caliber in the middle of the floor, both offensively and defensively. She kind of controls the paint on both sides of the floor."
From the opening tip, Walnut Grove took control of the game with a 16-2 run and showcased its potent offense. Hejna scored 8 points during the run, while point guard Bayley Harman chipped in 8 of her own, including a pair of 3-pointers.
In the third quarter, Hejna went on another tear, scoring 12 points in the midst of a 17-3 Tiger run.
Throughout the game, Hermitage struggled to find open looks at the basket. Playing without injured starter Sadi Hostettler, the Hornets were simply unable to find an answer for the Hejna-Harman duo at either end.
Despite throwing multiple looks at Hejna on defense, Hermitage coach Shane Salmon couldn't slow the big junior down.
"We knew she was going to be tough to guard," Salmon said. "She does well. They pass her the ball well, she catches the ball well and then she finishes. We got frustrated by not scoring, and it kind of carried over to our defense. We've got to play better … we've got to play better, I've got to coach better and hopefully, we'll get another shot at them later on in the year."
While Hermitage (9-3) must now regroup for the Lakeland Tournament, Walnut Grove (6-6) and Henry remain optimistic about the rest of the season with a Morrisville on tap next week.
"I think we might have turned a corner," Henry said. "I'm very proud of our effort, especially on the defensive end. To hold a team like that to 14 is pretty special."
Walnut Grove Girls – 49, Hermitage Girls – 14
Walnut Grove 12 14 17 6 — 49
Hermitage 2 6 3 3 — 14
Walnut Grove Scoring: Raylie Hejna – 23, Bayley Harman – 14, Grace McPhail – 9, Taylor Dodson – 3
Hermitage Scoring: Cheyanna Jennings – 4, Sheridan Corum – 3, Anna Ginnings – 2, Kendra Owens – 2, Alyssa Owens – 2, Lindsey Smith – 1
Boys
While the girls game featured a methodic, calculated pace and patient, half-court sets, the nightcap provided a stark contrast.
Utilizing its pair of premier scorers and a smothering, full-court pressure defense, the Tigers threw points on the board in bunches and raced to a 102-75 victory.
Walnut Grove's Dallas Meinders and Logan Thomazin combined for 60 points, with Kyle Keith chipping in 14.
Tigers head coach Darin Meinders attributed the big win to a deep bench capable of providing constant pressure throughout the game.
"Our defensive pace and the pressure we put on teams, along with our depth, eventually wears teams out," Meinders said. "And then when you shoot the ball well like we did tonight, that's kind of what happens. Our goal is to have 80-100 possessions each game, and to get that, you have to have the game and the tempo we want, which is up and down."
From ground-and-pound to up-and-down, Walnut Grove again dictated the game's pace and pulled big games from its big names.
With a game-high 33 points, the 6'3" Meinders was both scorer and playmaker for the Tigers. Displaying a wiry, fast-twitch athleticism, the all-state senior worked his way through the lane and attacked the basket with an impressive array of spins, shakes and misdirection drives.
When he wasn't finishing at the rim, Meinders was kicking the ball out to wide open shooters on the perimeter, including Thomazin.
The 6'2" sophomore made the most of his opportunities, as well, hitting five 3-pointers and scoring 27 points for the Tigers.
Despite the victory margin, Hermitage did not go quietly.
The Hornets boast a trio of playmakers in Dillon Meyer, Jeff Salmon and Cory Nicholson. In a balanced attack, the three combined for 55 points and, at times, looked like they might shoot Hermitage back into the game.
Meyer, in particular, got off to an effective start. The junior's 14 points in the first half were marred by early foul trouble, which allowed Walnut Grove to stretch its lead to a 53-34 halftime mark.
Despite the loss, Hermitage coach Joe Nicholson remained upbeat about his team's performance and positives to take away.
"I don't think my guys ever quit," Nicholson said. "Our focus in the second half became … I didn't care if they scored 100 points. I wanted to keep playing like we're going to have to play in order to beat them when it matters. Let's don't just start holding the ball, because that's not how you're going to beat them. I tried to ignore the scoreboard and work on the things we need to do."
While the Hornets scored an impressive 75 points in the contest, Nicholson's late-game tactics came at a price. With less than 30 seconds on the clock, Keith's 3-pointer brought a thunderous roar of appreciation and excitement from the home crowd, as Walnut Grove notched 102 points.
"I couldn't believe it went in," Keith said. "I literally just caught the ball, looked up and … they told me to drive, but I just kind of slung it up there. It went in, thankfully."
Both teams are back in action next week. Walnut Grove (14-0) faces off against Humansville on Thursday, while Hermitage (9-4) plays in the Lakeland Tournament starting Tuesday.
Walnut Grove Boys – 102, Hermitage Boys – 75
Walnut Grove 21 32 22 27 — 102 Hermitage 14 20 15 26 — 75
Walnut Grove Scoring: Dallas Meinders – 33, Logan Thomazin – 27, Kyle Keith – 14, Dawson Meinders – 8, Cory Countryman – 6, Cole Melton – 6, Hunter Gilkey – 3, Jaron Dishman – 3, Ryan Keith – 2
Hermitage Scoring: Dillon Meyer – 19, Jeff Salmon – 19, Cory Nicholson – 17, Austin Hostettler – 14, Robert Ideker – 6
