February 12, 2025

Bulldogs win final regular season game ever

O-M defeats Murray 59-54

By Ryan Stonebraker
Orient-Macksburg freshman Mattie Thompson (5) follows through on one of her five first-half 3-pointers en route to helping her Bulldogs win 59-54 Monday, Feb. 10 at home against Murray.

Orient-Macksburg freshman Mattie Thompson (5) follows through on one of her five first-half 3-pointers en route to helping her Bulldogs win 59-54 Monday, Feb. 10 at home against Murray. (Ryan Stonebraker)

Following a Diagonal loss Feb. 3, the Orient-Macksburg Bulldogs have been on a tear as the girls basketball regular season winds to a close.

The girls are 13-8 overall following a 59-54 win Monday, Feb. 10 against Murray. The 13th win means the Bulldogs have the most wins the program has earned in a season since the 2011-12 campaign. Wins last week came against Mormon Trail and Griswold.

Madrid (6-14) comes to town Thursday, Feb. 13 for a first round Class 1A regional game.

Against Murray, the Bulldogs and Mustangs were tied midway through the second quarter at 17-17, before Orient-Macksburg used a pair of 3-pointers from Mattie Thompson and one from Ella Boswell to bolt into halftime up 29-20.

Murray responded, trimming the lead to 39-37 going to the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs countered with a 9-4 run in the last 90 seconds of the game to earn the win.

Thompson led with 18 points while sisters Emma and Ella Boswell each had 16. Maliya Berry paced the Mustangs with 23 while Aylah Miller scored 15.

Winning against Griswold last Thursday at home 63-57, the Bulldogs got out to a 20-8 lead following the first quarter but the Tigers trimmed the lead to five at halftime. Griswold went in front by one going to the fourth quarter, 41-40.

Emma Boswell scored 36 and had 28 rebounds. She was 15-of-20 from the field, making 6 of 8 free throws. Griswold had 25 points and 10 rebounds come from sophomore Amanda Houser and 10 points and 10 rebounds from Sadie Gohlinghorst.

The Bulldogs played Tuesday, Feb. 4 at Mormon Trail, winning 50-32 behind a 19-point, 26-rebound effort from Emma Boswell and 11 points each from Thompson and Ella Boswell.

Last Monday, Orient-Macksburg fell to Diagonal on the road, 44-43. That was the fourth loss in five games for the Bulldogs.

An 18-10 third quarter and 14-5 fourth quarter were enough for the Maroons to seal the deal.

Emma Boswell led all scorers with 24 points and 16 rebounds. Ella Boswell added 18 points and five rebounds. Kaydence Kirkland was a nightmare for the Diagonal offense, getting 10 steals. Ashlynn Allee led Diagonal in scoring with 20 points and 7 rebounds and Cadance Siflett had 11 points and 17 rebounds.