VanLeer’s Dutchmen succumb to Eagles in district semifinals

By Will Johnson, Sports Editor
Posted 3/8/23

ST. JAMES — Survive and advance.

That was the goal for Cullen VanLeer’s Owensville Dutchmen basketball team last week during the Missouri State High School Activities Association …

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VanLeer’s Dutchmen succumb to Eagles in district semifinals

Posted

ST. JAMES — Survive and advance.

That was the goal for Cullen VanLeer’s Owensville Dutchmen basketball team last week during the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 4, District 3 Boys Basketball Tournament hosted by St. James High School.

Turning back the host Tigers in opening-round action last Monday, Owensville earned their second shot at Sullivan’s Eagles in nearly a week in the district semifinals.

Trailing 20-11 at halftime, the orange and black did not score in the second half until Austin Luecke hit a free throw with 6:08 left in the fourth quarter.

By that time, the Dutchmen were trailing the Eagles 33-11.

In spite of outscoring Sullivan 16-10 over the final 6:08, Owensville saw their season come to an end following a 43-27 district-semifinal loss to Sullivan.

Going on to win a district title with a 61-44 victory over Salem, the Eagles saw their season end Monday night in Class 4 Sectional action at the Farmington Civic Center following a 49-37 loss to the Mary Institute-Country Day School (MICDS) Rams.

Layne Evans scored all four Dutchmen points in the first quarter keeping OHS withing single digits of Sullivan at 10-4 after one quarter

Will Lauth scored five second-quarter points while Evans added six markers to account for Owensville’s first-half scoring.

Lauth went on to lead the Dutchmen with a team-high 11 points followed by nine points from Landon Ely all in the fourth quarter.

Charlie Whelan and Evans each pulled down five rebounds for OHS against Sullivan.

In Owensville’s 68-36 district-opening win over St. James, Lauth led three Dutchmen in double figures with 21 points and seven rebounds.

Bryce Payne added a double double of 18 points and 13 rebounds while Evans added 12 points, eight rebounds, first assists and three steals.

Tanner Meyer nearly made a double-digit foursome with eight points against St. James.