Local rivalries dominate top 10 games from ‘22

Well, that was fun. 
Looking back at all the miles logged during the 2022 year, the one thing that stands out the most is the short road trips. In other words, the local rivalries really delivered this year, and that’s reflected well in our top 10 game recap. 
Here are your top 10 games from 2022:
1. Hornets beat Hawks at the buzzer. 
What an emotional night this was, for a variety of reasons. It was a night anyone in that Hampton gym on a cold February night will never forget. 
Hampton’s boys did what many wouldn’t, play in the face of tragedy, honoring and remembering their head coach, Kyle Ediger, who passed away just a few days prior. 
The Hawks led 39-36 with less than 20 seconds to play, when the tide began to turn. Giltner’s Cooper Reeson hit both ends of a 1-and-1 from the line, then fouled Hampton’s Drake Schafer with 10.6 seconds remaining. Schafer missed the first free throw but drained the second, giving the Hornets the ball down by two.
With no timeouts left, Giltner quickly moved the ball down court. Phillip Kreutz found Reeson in the left corner for an open look and the shot was good, falling just before the buzzer sounded.
It’s not the last you’ll see of these two teams on this list, either. 
2. Aurora falls to Columbus Lakeview in five sets. 
Aurora left everything on the floor in a do-or-die match during the postseason, ultimately falling to Lakeview in five sets. 
The Lady Huskies had match point in the fourth and fifth sets, but could not convert the final score as Columbus Lakeview rallied to beat Aurora in five, 25-19, 23-25, 21-25, 26-24, 17-15. 
Aurora had match point at 24-19 before Lakeview put together a tremendous rally, scoring the game’s final seven points to take the fourth, 26-24 and force a fifth and deciding set. 
Lakeview set up match point at 14-11 after a Husky service error but Lexi Jones completely took over, scoring the next four points on her own, the first three on attacks and a fourth with a block as things quickly turned to Aurora match point at 15-14.
After another service error tied the game at 15, then Lakeview answered with a pair of attacks to win the game and match, 17-15. 
3. Olsen swishes final dagger.
Rylee Olsen, a 2022 grad, wasn’t Aurora’s top option to shoot threes. Yet, she hit one of the biggest threes of the season last year. 
The Aurora senior swished a three from the top of the key with 43 seconds left to help the Lady Huskies take down Lexington 42-39.
Lexington led by as much as 37-32 with just over two minutes left when the Lady Huskies rallied, capped by Olsen’s three to take the lead.
Lexington missed a jumper on its ensuing possession before Denae Nachtigal swished a pair of foul shots, taking a 42-39 lead with 10 seconds left.
This set up the Minutemaids with a final possession to potentially tie the game. 
Lexington found some space and got a decent look off from the right wing, but the shot bounced wide and out. 
4. Hornets outlast Hawks in another instant classic.
I told you they’d be back. 
Hampton honorary coach Carson Klute described it perfectly after the game. 
“This is how Hampton and Giltner basketball games are supposed to be.”
For the second time in less than two weeks, the Hawks and Hornets played 32 minutes and the contest came down to the final shot. 
This time, though, it was Hampton with a shot to win. However, the ball still bounced Giltner’s direction as the Hornets held on to defeat the Hawks 45-44 in the D2-3 subdistrict final. 
In the game’s final sequence, Hampton’s Drake Schafer drove to the baseline, like he’d done most of the night. Instead of shooting it this time, the Hawk senior dished off to Brayden Dose, who had a decent look on the block. 
However, two Giltner defenders made the shot difficult and rim out as the Hornets pulled down the rebound and took a foul with just over a second left. 
It was the look Hampton wanted, it just didn’t go. 
5. Aurora upset bid falls short in OT. 
Aurora battled back to force overtime, but Platteview was too much in the extra session as the Trojans advanced to the state tournament. 
Chase Phillips, who hadn’t scored all afternoon, buried a triple from the top of the key on a dish from Tate Nachtigal to tie the game at 46 with 28 seconds left. 
Drew Knust had a flashback to playing quarterback the previous fall, taking the ball out and launching it nearly the length of the floor. 
The ball was tipped around by Nachtigal and Millikan and into the hands of Phillips, set up for a midrange jumper near the left corner. 
The Aurora junior got the shot off just before the buzzer, but the ball bounced just long, giving the packed house in Platteview four minutes of free basketball. 
Platteview got the extra session started on an 8-0 run as Aurora fought through a couple turnovers and never got comfortable offensively. 
6. HPC holds off Hampton girls rally.
More local flair.
Hailey Lindburg helped carry her team to a win while not once coming out of the game. 
A bit shorthanded, High Plains outlasted Hampton 40-35 in an area matchup. With only seven players available to play, depth was an issue for High Plains as Lindburg played all 32 minutes, leading the charge with 13 points. 
Hampton was down four with 30 seconds left and had a couple shots at it, but High Plains made enough free throws to hang on. 
7. High Plains spoils Giltner’s Homecoming.
With just 12 players on its sideline and just 10 taking snaps, the Storm pulled together to defeat Giltner on its Homecoming night, 28-12. 
High Plains showed its toughness from the get-go, also showing a new wrinkle on the field offensively. The Storm took Wyatt Urkoski, used to playing a tight end spot, and asked him to play quarterback in the run game.
Momentum seemed to shift to the home sideline as the Hornets drove inside the red zone, looking to make it a one-possession game. 
On a crucial fourth and one, Giltner had a touchdown called back for holding. The next play, Giltner scored again but was called back for an illegal formation. 
The third play, HPC was called for defensive holding, setting up another fourth down. 
This time, on fourth and three, Urkoski clogged the middle with one of his game-high 18 tackles, turning the Hornets away with six minutes remaining. 
8. Hampton falls short of district title. 
Hampton didn’t have enough firepower in a 29-12 loss at Stuart Friday night in the D6-2 district championship.
Despite that, however, the Hawks qualified for the football playoffs for the first time since 2010 and the first time since joining the 6-man ranks. The Hawks posted a 5-3 record during the 2022 season, its first winning record since 2010, a district runner-up effort.
The game had the look and feel of the biggest game in Hampton football in more than a decade, making it a fun ride for Hawk Nation and the rest of those who followed. 
Hampton had multiple drives with opportunities to score in the second half, but could never quite get over the hump. 
9. Huskies fall to Pierce in finals.
Aurora’s second stint in Class C1 looked as dominant as the first, but the ending didn’t mirror 2018. 
The Huskies ran into a stout Pierce attack as the Bluejays exploded for 36 unanswered points to win the battle of unbeatens, 42-14 at Memorial Stadium. 
If played 10 times, I still believe each team would win five times. They were super even and a few bad moments for Aurora were highlighted by a picture-perfect Bluejay attack. 
A healthy Carlos Collazo for a full game? It doesn’t end like that one did. 
10. HPC drops rubber match with Exeter-Milligan.
This was probably the most hyped High Plains volleyball match in school history. The nervous energy in the gym was unmatched. 
The host Storm battled Exeter-Milligan for a third time this season as the Timberwolves extended its year with a four-set victory over HPC, 25-27, 25-23, 25-23 and 25-17. 
Each of the sets were never truly dominated by one team, with just 1-2 point leads throughout the night. 
We also need to recognize our state champions from the 2022 calendar year, which includes a pair of track stars. 
Gage Griffith did what many thought would be impossible, breaking Tom Kropp’s legendary discus school record and in the process won back-to-back gold medals in the shot put and discus rings. 
Not only that, but Carsen Staehr jumped his way into the record books, setting a new school record in the triple jump and winning gold at state. 
Here’s to another solid list of thrillers to come in 2023. See everyone on the sidelines -- backwards hat and all.  

RICHARD RHODEN can be reached at sports@hamilton.net.