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(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

(Photos courtesy of Tanya Hagen)

BRANDYWINE — Homecoming night at the Bobcat Den was electric, as both the Brandywine Lady Cats and Bobcats secured victories over the Buchanan Bucks in Lakeland Conference matchups. The Lady Cats set the tone early with a 65-36 win, followed by the Bobcats closing out the evening with a hard-fought 60-46 victory in the boys’ game.

Lady Cats dominate early, cruise to victory

The Brandywine Lady Cats extended their perfect season to 12-0 with a decisive 65-36 win over the Buchanan Lady Bucks.

Adeline Gill led the Lady Cats with 18 points, while Lily Gill and Miley Young each scored 11. Young’s buzzer-beating three-pointer at the end of the third quarter brought the home crowd to its feet. Adelyn Drotoz added nine points, including back-to-back three-pointers to open the game, and Mackenna Price contributed 8 points, many coming in the final quarter.

The Lady Cats started strong, jumping out to a 22-7 lead in the first quarter, with Drotoz setting the tone early and Brandywine’s full-court press forcing turnovers. Buchanan responded in the second quarter behind Alyssa Carson and Justyce Cashier, but Brandywine’s consistent defense and timely shooting helped the Lady Cats take a 32-17 lead into halftime.

The second half featured more Brandywine dominance. Ireland Prenkert nailed a crucial three-pointer early in the third quarter, and Young’s buzzer-beater to close the period extended the lead to 53-30. With the game in hand, Coach Josh Hood gave his reserves valuable minutes in the fourth quarter to close out the victory.

Final Stats — Lady Cats:

• Adeline Gill: 18 points
• Lily Gill: 11 points
• Miley Young: 11 points
• Adelyn Drotoz: 9 points
• Mackenna Price: 8 points

Final Stats — Lady Bucks:

• Alyssa Carson: 12 points
• Kate Ailes: 8 points
• Justyce Cashier: 7 points
• Akirrah Robinson: 4 points
• Caitlyn Horvath: 3
• Aspen Berry: 2 points

With the win, the Lady Cats improved to 5-0 in the Lakeland Conference and remain at the top of the standings.

“We were proud of our fast start, but we need to learn to sustain that energy for a 32-minute game,” said Brandywine Coach Josh Hood. “We got complacent for the final three quarters, and it felt like Buchanan, for a good portion of the game, played with more effort. Credit to them and their coach for battling. I need to do a better job of motivating our team to play at a level that warrants success come March. I’m excited to watch our team moving forward against a schedule that is one of the toughest in the state.”

Bobcats Stay Composed in Victory

The Brandywine boys team (3-2, 7–5) capped off the evening with a 60-46 victory over Buchanan (1-4,7-5), using early momentum and late-game composure to secure the win.

Elijhia Burt led the Bobcats with 17 points, while Nylen Goins contributed 16. Will Hubbard added 10 points, and Ryder Richard and Emerson Gogley chipped in with 9 and 8 points, respectively.

Brandywine opened the game with an 8-0 run, fueled by quick baskets from Burt and Goins. Buchanan responded with a three-pointer from Jake Franklin to trim the lead to 10-7, but the Bobcats ended the first quarter with an 11-9 edge.

The second quarter saw Brandywine take control, as Gogley hit a key three-pointer and Burt added strong finishes around the basket. The Bobcats’ defense stifled Buchanan’s offense, allowing Brandywine to extend their lead to 26-16 by halftime.

“It was very important for us to get that win tonight,” said Head Coach Nathan Knapp. “We haven’t played in a week and a half with all the delays and the game cancellations. We were a little bit out of rhythm. Just glad the kids weathered the storm. They kept Buchanan at bay most of the game. Showed times when they were real resilient on defense, but then we had our breakdowns. We’ve got to get back to the drawing board.”

The third quarter was marked by turnovers and rushed shots from both teams, but Burt’s late three-pointer gave Brandywine a 38-27 lead heading into the final period. Buchanan opened the fourth quarter with a quick bucket, but the Bobcats maintained their lead, with Richard’s steal and layup pushing the score to 43-31 with just over six minutes remaining.

“When they got it down to seven, we didn’t fold,” Knapp said. “We stayed within our system, took care of the ball, and were trying to get stops. We couldn’t get all the stops we wanted, so we’ve got some work to do. But I was real happy with the way the kids played. They came out defensively sharp, and they did a good job in the first half. The third quarter was a really good quarter for us—not offensively, but defensively—and it was awesome to get that win tonight for the kids.”

Knapp also praised several players for their contributions. 

“Elijhia Burt had a heck of a game for us. Nylen had moments tonight, and Big Will did a good job. We did a good job rebounding, and I’m happy as a coach.”

Goins and Richard combined for four clutch free throws in the closing moments to secure the win.

Final Stats — Bobcats:

• Elijhia Burt: 17 points
• Nylen Goins: 16 points
• Will Hubbard: 10 points
• Ryder Richard: 9 points
• Emerson Gogley: 8 points

Final Stats — Bucks:

• Logan Wiggins: 14 points
• Liam McBeth: 8 points
• Will Carson: 7 points
• Tyler Frame: 2 points
• Preston Payne: 3 points
• Karmine Brown: 4 points
• Jake Franklin: 4 points
• Owen Thompson: 4 points

The Bobcats’ win capped off a memorable homecoming night, with the energy from the crowd fueling Brandywine to a sweep over their conference rivals.

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