Stew-Stras almost laid an egg on Tuesday night, but they regrouped and finished the night as the cock of the walk, beating a game Dieterich squad in Comet Country, 55-53.

The Comets took care of business on opening night against Windsor in the Homecoming Hatchet Game, Thanksgiving Eve. But they punched in late on Tuesday. When they finally got to work, Dieterich had moved in on their territory and had a head start.

The Comets scored just three buckets in the first period, solo twos from Jaden Widdersheim, Chris Koontz and Jon Hoene. While they were dill-dallying, Dieterich go a deuce and a trey from Sam Thoele and a deuce and a trey from Taran Bohnhoff. Tony Probst added a deuce and 1-of-2 from the line for a 13-6 Maroon lead.

The Comets absorbed the blow and got to work. Widdersheim canned a back-to-back treys an Will Rincker hit a deuce and a trey. Koontz and Hoene each scored again and the Comets had a 16-point period. However, Dieterich was still feeling it and they scored 20. Thoele had another deuce and a trey, Blake Kuhl sank a deuce and a trey and Bohnhoff rang up another 3-pointer. Jeremy Ohnesorge converted a 3-point play and then a two and Cody Hinterscher scored. Dieterich had increased their lead to 11 points at the break, 33-22.

The Comets continued to doctor their wounds in the locker room and came out for the second half ready to inflict some of their own defensive muscle. They held Dieterich to 19 points in the second half, while scoring 33 points themselves.

Rincker buried another triple Widdersheim hit a two Koontz had a two and Hoene split a pair at the line. The Comets got a big boost from Nick Ferris who came off the bench to dial in from long distance, then make a two, Zach Rincker also came in and scored for 15 Comet points. Meanwhile they held Dieterich to just ten. Probst and Kuhl had a pair of deuces each and Thoele a solo twos, but five treys in the first half, there were no Maroon treys in the third.

With a manageable deficit, six points, the Comets had Dieterich right where they wanted them, in Comet Country and beginning to doubt. In the comeback fourth, Widdersheim came out and launched back-to-back 3-pointers and made 2-of-2 free throws. Koontz scored and made both his free throw attempts. Will Rincker scored, Matt Tabbert scored and Steven Thomas made 2-of-3 free throws in crunch time in a 2-point win.

Dieterich got one more trey from Thoele, but just solo twos from Probst and Kuhl and 2-of-2 free throws from Kuhl. With the game on the line, Stew-Stras out-scored Dieterich 18-9 to win by two.

Stew-Stras (2-0, 1-0 NTC) is off until next Tuesday when they travel to Arcola. Dieterich (1-3, 0-1 NTC) must face NTC foe Neoga next week. Neoga beat Cowden-Herrick, 80-51, on Tuesday.

Varsity

Stew-Stras 55, Dieterich 53

Stew 6-16-15-18—55

D’trich 13-20-10-9—52

Stew stats: Widdersheim 19 (2-2s, 4-3 pt FGs, 3/4 FTs), W. Rincker 10 (2-2s, 2-3 pt FGs), Koontz 10 (4 FGs, 2/2 FTs), Nick Ferris 5 (1-2, 1-3 pt FGs), Jon Hoene 5 (2 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Steven Thomas 2 (2/3 FTs), Zach Rincker 2 (FG), M. Tabbert 2 (FG). Team FGs 20 (7-3 pt: Widdersheim 4, W. Rincke 2, Ferris 1).Team FTs 8-of-11.

D’trich stats: Sam Thoele 15 (3-2s, 3-3 pt FGs), Blake Kuhl 13 (4-2s, 1-3 pt FGs, 2/2 FTs), Tony Probst 9 (4 FGs, 1/2 FTs), Taran Bohnhoff 8 (1-2, 2-3 pt FGs), Jeremy Ohnesorge 5 (2 FGs, 1/1 FTs), Cody Hinterscher 2 (FG). Team FGs 21 (6-3 pt: Thoele 3, Bohnhoff 2, Kuhl 1). Team FTs 4-of-5.