Indians lose third straight, drop from No. 1 ranking

By Doug Schroder

Editor

WINNEBAGO – The Winnebago Indians boys basketball team has fallen on hard times after achieving the No. 1 status as top team in the Illinois Class 2A standings. The Indians came up with a rock solid performance against Rock Island on Jan. 15, winning by a score of 77-55, but then followed that up with three straight losses against conference foes Rockford Lutheran, Dixon and Oregon.

The Indians lost a close one with Rockford Lutheran, 52-58, in an away game on Saturday, Jan. 30.

The Indians then came up short against the Dixon Dukes at home on Tuesday, Feb. 2, losing by a score of 49-55.

Winnebago was behind most of the game and couldn’t come up with the right play at the right time to overcome Dixon.

The latest loss came, again at home, against the Oregon Hawks on Thursday, Feb. 4, by a score of 42-45. It was another close game that the Indians lost in the last few minutes.

The Indians jumped out to a 17-11 first quarter lead, but could not hold on to the lead and eventually fell to the Hawks.

Before the Lutheran game Coach Joe Murphy was quoted as saying the Indians needed to take care of the ball. In each one of the three losses the Indians have failed to do so. That, coupled with the inability to make a basket at crucial times, has figured into the Indians losses.

Brandon Suggs led the way in scoring against the Dukes with 13 points. Andrew Morrissey followed with eight points.

In the Oregon game Morrissey led the way with 12 points, while Suggs followed up as the next highest scoring Indian with eight points.

The next Indians game was at Dixon on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Hopefully the Indians can right the ship prior to the IHSA play-offs.

It was reported that the Indians have now dropped to third in the Class 2A rankings.

Isaiah Whitehead (24) puts up a shot against the Oregon Hawks on Thursday, Feb. 4. Doug Schroder photo