Coyotes survive Mavs comeback

It was a contrast of events for the 3C boy's teams in Phillips County as the Dodson Coyotes went 2-0 this week, while the North Country Mavericks went 0-2.

The Coyotes and Mavericks faced each other on Saturday, January 11, heating up the Penguin Palace in Whitewater. Ultimately the Coyotes would win the clash by going on a ten-point run in the fourth quarter, defeating North Country 50-39.

"They played really strong," Dodson's Corbin LoneBear said of North Country. "We weren't ready for their backdoor cuts."

Before the Dodson Coyotes' ten-point run in the fourth quarter, the North Country Mavericks overcame a seven-point deficit. Tying the game 33 all at the end of the third quarter.

Dodson was led by senior Corbin LoneBear, a co-captain, who scored 18 points. LoneBear knocked down a pair of treys.

Fellow senior and co-captain Shaun Ball had 13 points in the win and even knocked down three treys.

Zerek Jones was the third Coyote in double-digits, scoring 12 points. Dwight Werk and Alex Werk each scored two points.

The Mavericks were led by Loden Idler, who had a game-high 14 points. Beau Simonson had nine points. Jesse Lee and Trey Johnson each had six points.

Dodson outscored the Mavs 11-8 in the first quarter and then 14-10 in the second. The halftime score was 25-18. The Mavericks would claw back in the third quarter, outscoring the Coyotes 15-8 in the third, a quarter in which Idler scored seven points. The game was tied 33 all.

Dodson would knock down three treys in the fourth quarter, coming from Jeramiah Benson, Ball and LoneBear.

"We just got refocused," Ball said. "It was about drives and kick-out threes."

Ball had later mentioned that for him to help his team win more games down the stretch, he wants to get into better shape.

"I gotta lose some weight," Ball said with a smile. "I gotta work extra hard in practice and have a good diet."

On Friday, January 10, the Coyotes survived a 20-7 fourth-quarter run from Roy-Winifred, defeating the Outlaws 59-48.

The Coyotes were led by LoneBear who had a 26 point, 13 rebound double-double, going 13-of-21 from the field.

The Coyotes were up by as much as 30, but let the Outlaws catch up late in the game.

"We pressed them pretty hard and they weren't expecting it," LoneBear said of their dominant first half.

Jones had a 13 point, 10 rebound double-double.

In the Mavericks' previous game against the Scobey Spartans on Friday, January 10, in Scobey, the team was blown out 63-28.

The Mavericks were led by Simonson who had 11 points. Idler had seven points. The team was outscored 16-6 in the first quarter and then 18-6 in the second quarter. The Spartans also outscored the Mavericks 29-18 in the second half.

"We are just really learning how to play the whole game," Coach Ralph Elsworth said. "We are a little out of control as far as commanding the game, so the game will get away from us. We need to shoot better to stay in the game because they shoot pretty well at times."

The Mavericks are scheduled to take on the Lustre Christian Lions in Lustre on Friday, January 17, at 7:30 p.m. The Mavericks are also scheduled to take on the Frazer Bearcubs on Saturday, January 18, in Saco, at 7:30 p.m.