The new year opened with a Southeast Iowa Superconference North division split for the Area Game of the Week, as the Winfield-Mount Union boys and Wapello girls came away with victories on the KCII3 Stream.

The night opened with a 53-18 Arrow win. Wapello began the game on a 22-8 run that spanned the entire first period, powered by a combined 16 points from junior tandem Kyndall Stigge and Macey Kuntz. WMU opened with a pair of threes from another junior in Suttyn Schlee. The second period followed the same script as the first, with another combined 13 points from Stigge and Kuntz to make it a 35-12 Arrow lead at the half. By the end of the third, the gap nearly reached running clock territory at 47-15, as the Lady Wolves’ offense continued to struggle. The margin was enough to trigger the continuous clock in the fourth period, though, to secure the Wapello win.

Unofficially, the Arrows were led by Stigge and Kuntz, combining for 39 of Wapello’s 53 points. They also swept the battle on the glass and turnovers by 14 and seven, respectively. The Lady Wolves were led by seven points from junior Lilly Heckethorn. With the win, Wapello improves to 6-3, while WMU drops to 1-8 still winless in conference play.

In the boys’ game, action saw the Wolves get out to an early 11-2 lead after one before the offenses halted to a standstill with only five points scored from each side in the second to make it a 16-7 WMU lead at half. The rock fight continued out of the break, with Wapello beginning to inch their way back into the game at 24-19 headed into the fourth. In the third frame, the Indians only allowed one WMU scorer in junior Isaac Egli in the beginning of the comeback attempt. Once the fourth arrived, the Indians took advantage of the window of opportunity. They erased the gap in the closing minutes before Egli lauched a dagger three from the left corner to put the win on ice for the Wolves with a final of 38-33.

Unofficially, WMU won both the glass and turnover battles by three and five, respectively. Egli led the Wolves with a game-high 18 points to earn Washington County Hospital and Clinics Player of the Game honors. Wapello was led by 11 points from junior Kinnick Richenberger. The win raises WMU’s record to 5-2 and drops the Indians to 2-6.