T-Bird boys fly past Indians

By Denise Bonsack, Publisher

The GFW boys’ varsity basketball team traveled to Sleepy Eye on Thursday, January 16, for an impromptu double-header in an effort to get the game in before the impending snowstorm.

The game began with the T-Birds jumping out to a 5-0 lead early. Tylor Hopp expanded on that lead with a basket on a dish from Ethan Schwarzrock, and then Schwarzrock added two of his own to expand the lead to 9-4.

Dominic Henrichs and Tylor Hopp each added two more, Damian Hopp nailed a three, and Schwarzrock pulled down a rebound and put it back up for two more, to give GFW an 18-7 lead at the 11:15 mark.

A 7-0 GFW run increased that lead to 24-7, before the T-Birds took a timeout.

Coming out of the time out, Tylor Hopp and Henrichs each nailed three-point shots, taking the score to 30-9 with just under seven minutes to play in the half.

Schwarzrock added four points as the clock wound down, and the Indians rallied just before the break, but the T-Birds took a 34-21 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

The Indians hit the floor in the second half determined to erase their deficit. At one point, they closed the gap to 10 points, but that was as close as they’d get. 

Ryan Lavrenz scored four points early in the second half, with Schwarzrock, Evan Elder, Tylor Hopp and Henrichs adding to the total. 

Johnny Ambrose added two on a putback with just a minute and a half left to play, to take the score to 58-41.

Dominic Johnson added a free throw in the final moments of the game, and the T-Birds brought home the 59-44 victory.

Henrichs led the T-Birds with 22 points, three assists, six rebounds and one block, followed by Ethan Schwarzrock with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.  He also had two assists.

Tylor Hopp added 11 points, five rebounds and two steals, while Damian Hopp had five points, seven rebounds and one steal.

Ryan Lavrenz contributed four points, four rebounds and one steal, Johnnie Ambrose scored two points, and had one assist, 10 rebounds one block and one steal, Evan Elder had two points, one assist and six rebounds, and Dominic Johnson added one point, one rebound and one steal.

The T-Birds head to New Ulm to take on the Cathedral Greyhounds on Tuesday, January 21. On Thursday evening, January 23, they host the Chargers of MVL in Winthrop.