After a short winter weather delay, the 45th annual Slater Wildcat Classic fired up last week on Tuesday night for girl’s action, and Wednesday night for the boys. Santa Fe was in the house to take on the Carrollton Trojans of the MRVCE, for the late game on 1-28-26. Originally slated for a 9 p.m. start, the game began early. The two teams had met previously back in December with CHS notching a 75-51 win at home.

After the tip Carrollton soon hit a three ball, then raced out to a 7-0 start and a Santa Fe timeout was used at 5:53. CHS came out and hit a three after that for 10-0, before Logan Wilsie scored for the Chiefs down low at the 3:52 mark for 12-2. Wilsie then scored back to back, and Q1 ended 26-6, in favor of the Trojans. Carrollton was using their size down low and solid cuts to the basket to seize early control.

Q2 saw penetration, and a nice dish from Wilsie to Ethan Finkeldei who finished for 268. Wilsie then went to the charity stripe for two more points. Finkleldei then tickled the twines with a three for 29-13 at the 5:18 mark, however CHS extended their lead to 41-13. Finkeldei, and Will Leabo scored next, yet at the half it was 4317 in favor of the Trojans.

Third quarter scoring saw points added by Wilsie, Korben Dierking, and Hayden Toliver getting into the mix. Under the mercy clock rules now in the 4th, Wyatt Doak scored all five of his points in the final frame, and Finkeldei added a bucket as well, as Carrollton took the opening round win, 69-31. Scoring: Wilsie 10, Doak 5, Dierking 2, Finkeldei 9, Toliver 3, Leabo 2. Carrollton was led by Maddux O’Doniel with 17.

The next game for the Chiefs saw them take on the Jamestown Eagles who were 5 and 13 on the season, on January 30. The contest would be close throughout the night, with the game tied at 12 after the first quarter. Scoring came from Wilsie with a bucket, Dierking with 4 points, Toliver with a three ball, and Leabo with a basket and a free throw in the initial quarter.

Freshman Dierking hit his first three of the night in the 2nd quarter however Jamestown led at halftime 30-20, after posting 18 second quarter points via a balanced attack with five players scoring.

Second half action saw Dierking nail four more threes, en route to a game high 27 points to lead all scorers. Jamestown held the Chiefs at arm’s length posting 17 third quarter points to 16 from Santa Fe.

Despite the Chiefs posting their best quarter offensively in the tournament adding 20 tallies on the board, Jamestown held on for the victory by posting 20 of their own. For Santa Fe Wilsie added another bucket, Doak scored, Dierking had 8 in the frame, Finkeldei had 4, and Toliver added a three as well. Jamestown took the win 67-56. Final Scoring: Wilsie 4, Doak 2, Dierking 27, Finkeldei 6, Toliver 10, Leabo 6. Tristan Schoenthal and Hudson Clay had 18 to pace Jamestown. Brunswick won the championship 69-58 over Glasgow on the boy’s side.

On Tuesday, February 3rd, the Chiefs hosted Lone Jack to Alma in an I-70 conference match up. Coach Smith’s team had a good first quarter posting 16 points, however LJHS posted 22 of their own. Finkeldei was able to get to the stripe in Q1 going 3 for 3 at the line in the quarter, and adding a field goal as well. The second quarter was owned by Lone Jack, as the Mules distanced themselves greatly from the Chiefs, posting 27 in the quarter to lead 49-21 at the break.

After the third quarter the Mule lead was 66-30, Dierking hit a three and added a free throw but on the night the Chiefs were shooting 24% from three land, to Lone Jack’s 56%. (Stats via Hudl).

The Chiefs cut into the lead in the 4th posting 12 points to Lone Jack’s 5, with Jensen Rehkop and Dierking adding deep balls, and Wilsie posting 4 points. The Chiefs fell 71-42. The loss drops the record to 6 and 13 overall (2 & 4 in conference). Lone Jack moved to 9 and 10 overall. Final scoring: Rehkop 3, Wilsie 6, Doak 5, Dierking 9, Finkeldei 5, Toliver 2, Livingston 2, Leabo 8, Long 2. Lone Jack was led by Ethan Carpenter with 13.