On Senior Night, Lucas Walechka, Kolby Gens, Colin Krenik, Ethan Fuller, and Carter Dylla (above along with injured classmate Jackson Meyer, second from right) played their last game in the Cleveland gym on Tuesday when they fell to 85-53 to Lester Prairie.
The 2021-22 varsity Clippers never produced a win for the hometown crowd, but they still will have fond memories of being the first boys varsity team to play in the new venue.
“The environment, the energy the fans bring is really nice,” said Walechka, who led all players with 23 points. “It’s a really nice court, but it’s not how we wanted to be. Growing up you want to be super good, top dog. But I think we made the best of it, and what we could do we did. We really improved throughout the whole season.”
The effort was especially strong for the hometown finale, said head coach Mike Meyer.
“I wish we would have played this game last night (when the Clippers got beat by Alden-Conger). That would have been a whole different ball game, but we came out, and that was the best first half we played all year. The intensity was up. We had guys all over the court. They were playing their spots. They were working it in on offense, and we were making our shots finally.”
With 14 points in the first half and O-boards before them, Walechka upped his inside game. Dylla and Krenik each added a three, but the Bulldogs dominated the arc with eight threes to lead 49-32 at the break.
“They had some good shooters on their team,” Meyer said, “and I know the zone was working for us right away, but it was hard to stay in the zone when they’re doing that, so we switched to man-to-man, and they started getting in the lane on us.”
En route to nine points in the second half, Walechka grabbed an offensive rebound and scored for the first Clipper basket after the break, but the Bulldogs kept on the heat, and the game ended under the mercy clock.
“The second half came around, and I think between guys getting in foul trouble and just overall condition…that team is definitely better conditionwise, and they had more players than we did,” Meyer said. “Granted I was trying to get the seniors as much playing time as I could. I knew for them it was more important for them to be in the game rather than to win it. It’s the last home game that they’re going to have, but I think they got tired towards the end, and they got a little sloppy with their fouls, but the seniors played a really good game, all five of them. They played their best effort of the year, so that was good to see.”
Dylla had 13 points including one three-point basket. Krenik had eight points, six of them from beyond the arc. Braeden Hastings had six points. Fuller had two points. Gens had one point.
Walechka hauled in a dozen rebounds. Gens had six rebounds. Dylla had two blocks and five assists. Gens had one block. Dylla, Gens and Walechka each had two steals. The Clippers committed nine turnovers.
The Clippers were eight of 14 from the foul line. The bulldogs made 14 three-point baskets and were nine of 11 in free-throw shooting.
Eleventh seeded in the South 2A subsection, the Clippers travel to Madelia tonight to take on Ja’Sean Glover and his sixth-rated Jayhawks. It will be the third meeting between the two this season. Tipoff is at 7:00 pm.
Ethan Fuller races between two defenders.
Colin Krenik poises for a shot.
Kolby Gens dishes off to an open teammate.
Lucas Walecha had one of his best games with 23 points.
Carter Dylla slants toward the goal.
Jordyn Klingel was the standard bearer.