The Wayne High basketball teams opened the season Thursday at home, splitting a boys-girls doubleheader with South Sioux City.
In the girls’ debut, the visiting Cardinals pulled away in the second half to claim a 74-46 win over the Blue Devils.
Wayne got down early in the game, but battled back to within a point before South Sioux City scored a late basket to take a 21-18 lead.
The visitors pressured Wayne in the backcourt and converted some turnovers into points, building a 41-29 lead at the half. They continued that momentum in the second half to come away with the 28-point victory.
Kylie Hammer dropped a game-high 23 points in the losing effort for the Blue Devil girls. Kelsey Boyer hit three 3-pointers and finished with nine points, while Gabi Meyer came off the bench to score eight points. South Sioux City’s Carissa Powell led five players in double figures with 19 points.
In boys action, Wayne came back from a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter and outscored the Cardinals 23-11 in the final eight minutes to post a 52-46 win over the Cardinals to open the season with a win.
South Sioux City’s defense shut down Wayne offensively in the first half, but Wayne’s defense kept them in the game, as they only trailed 21-15 at intermission.
Grayson McBride and Mason Lee both got hot in the fourth quarter, and Wayne’s defense clamped down on the Cardinals in the final eight minutes to help them come back and get the win.
McBride had a game-high 20 points for the 1-0 Blue Devils, with Lee, Ryan Jaixen and Payten Gamble each adding seven points.
Both Wayne High teams will play at Battle Creek on Friday and be back home Tuesday to host Logan View/Scribner-Snyder.
