DeSoto girls hold off Perry-Lecompton

? Despite an ice-cold shooting performance in the first quarter, the DeSoto High girls basketball team upended Perry-Lecompton, 42-37, Friday.

After snagging an overhanded pass from junior Allie Heinen, senior Julie Beck’s layup in the game’s waning seconds sealed the win for DeSoto (12-14). The play was indicative of the entire second half as the Kaws (4-11) couldn’t prevail.

“We had some chances,” P-L coach Kevin Bost said. “We just didn’t capitalize.”

Heinen topped all scorers with 17. Senior Emily Holton added eight points, and Beck finished with seven for DeSoto.

Shannon Wilson led the charge for the Kaws with 16 points, including four three-pointers — one that reduced the DeSoto lead to three points with 16 seconds left.

The score after the first quarter resembled a baseball game — the Kaws led the Wildcats 4-1 after the two teams missed their first 11 combined shots. Beck ended the early zeroes with a free throw at the two-minute mark.

“It’s a funny game,” DeSoto coach Dwight Spencer said. “Sometimes the ball drops, and sometimes it doesn’t, and it didn’t in the first quarter.”

P-L boys 48, DeSoto 34

The Kaws’ stifling defense held the Wildcats to six points in the third quarter.

In the first half, DeSoto (4-12) had a hard time stopping the short jumper of junior Spencer Kennedy, who finished with a team-high 15 points. Drew Robbins tacked on nine more for the Kaws (6-10).

Wildcat sophomore Danny Brown led all scorers with 18 and gave the faithful a show in the fourth quarter with a powerful dunk.

Unfortunately for DeSoto, the slam was about the only highlight in the second half.

The win was the second straight for the Kaws.

“This is the time to play good basketball,” P-L coach Pat Hupfauf said. “I think we’re peaking at the right time.”