YATES CENTER — Yates Center High’s Wildcats couldn’t keep up the pressure against the Neodesha Bluestreaks’ dominating front court Friday, succumbing to a 53-21 loss.
Yates Center held an early 5-4 lead before Neodesha rattled off five straight points. Cayten Cummings scored to keep the Wildcats within 9-7, but that was as close as things would get.
Neodesha had a 16-2 second-quarter run before Neodesha senior standout Kimberlynn Combs took over in the second half.
The Bluestreaks rattled off a 13-0 run before Cummings scored Yates Center’s only bucket in the second quarter as Neodesha took a 26-9 lead into the locker room.
Combs poured in 30 points to lead Neodesha to secure fifth place in the Yates Center Wildcat Winter Classic.
The Wildcats’ Kinley Morrison found her offensive game in the third quarter, scoring all seven of her points, but by then Combs was cooking inside and out.
Combs scored 13 in the period as the Bluestreaks stretched their lead to 44-19 by the end of the third.
Cummings led the Wildcats with nine, while Morrison had seven.
Allison Stover and Tiana Sanders added nine and eight points, respectively, for Neodesha.
Yates Center (1-3) will travel to Northeast-Arma Tuesday.
