Second half magic

By Will Johnson, Sports Editor
Posted 12/11/24

Throughout the last week, there was plenty of second-half magic on the basketball court and the football field.

It began last Tuesday night when Cullen VanLeer’s Owensville Dutchmen …

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Second half magic

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Throughout the last week, there was plenty of second-half magic on the basketball court and the football field.

It began last Tuesday night when Cullen VanLeer’s Owensville Dutchmen varsity basketball team overcame a three-point halftime deficit to post a 57-55 come-from-behind victory over Fatima’s Comets marking their first win over the Westphalians since 2009.

Friday in Cole County during the Eugene Girls Basketball Tournament, yours truly was able to witness two second-half comebacks.

Looking to salvage a win in the seventh-place game against the host Lady Eagles, Belle’s Lady Tigers went into halftime trailing 22-16.

Utilizing a 12-0 run to start the second half, Belle went on to post a 41-33 victory helping them end their tournament week in Eugene on a winning note.

Vienna’s Lady Eagles were the next girls basketball team to experience second-half magic going up against Russellville’s Lady Indians in the consolation championship of the Eugene Girls Basketball Tournament.

Losing 51-42 prior to Thanksgiving against the Lady Indians, Vienna was looking to avenge the loss and claim consolation hardware at the same time.

Leading 16-15 early in the second quarter, Vienna saw Russellville end the first half on a 10-2 run leaving them facing a 25-18 halftime deficit.

Opening the second half on a 9-0 run, the Lady Eagles took a 27-25 lead before another 10-2 run helped the black and gold to a 37-31 lead after three quarters.

Surviving through three ties and nine lead changes, Vienna’s Lady Eagles made it three second-half comebacks witnessed over the last few days.

Hermann Bearcat basketball was next to catch the second-half magic Saturday during the third-place game of the Montgomery County Boys Basketball Tournament against Fulton’s Hornets.

Trailing 25-24 at halftime, Hermann went on to post a 62-41 victory to leave Montgomery County with third-place hardware behind the hot shooting of Easton Stiers from behind the 3-point arc.

Second-half magic was also felt on the football field not only in Columbia but in Kansas City as well over the weekend.

Blair Oaks’ Falcons went into halftime of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3 Show-Me Bowl trailing Seneca’s Indians 28-14 at halftime.

Owning the second half, the Falcons blanked Seneca 24-0 helping them to their fifth state championship after a 38-28 victory.

GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium Sunday night was the sight of the doink for the division.

Down 17-16 in the closing seconds of the game, Matthew Wright kicked a 31-yard field goal that bounced off the left upright and through giving the Kansas City Chiefs their ninth consecutive American Football Conference (AFC) West Division title following a 19-17 victory.

Only the New England Patriots from 2009-2019 have a longer streak of consecutive division titles when they won the AFC East.