GERING – The Sidney Lady Raiders and Red Raiders each improved to 2-0 on the season with a pair of road wins at Gering on Saturday. However, they did it in vastly different ways. The Lady Raiders battled the Bulldogs tooth and nail for 32 minutes, winning a 67-66 thriller, while the Red Raiders bolted to a 10-point lead two and a half minutes into the game and never looked back for a 65-45 victory over Gering.

Eight players needed to score in the first quarter for the Lady Raiders to offset Gering senior Makenzie Todd’s 13 first quarter points to take a 19-18 lead after the opening period. Todd continued to pace the Lady Bulldogs, adding six more points to her total to give Gering a 35-33 halftime lead.

Both squads each pit up 15 points apiece in the third quarter, giving Gering a two-point, 50-48 advantage heading into the final period. A three-pointer from Rylan Misegadis, who scored nine of her 14 points in the final period, sparked a 12-3 Sidney run to take the lead 60-53. With the Lady Raiders leading 64-57, a steal and layup by Gering junior Jacelyn Brown initiated a 6-3 Bulldog run to cut the Sidney advantage to just one point. The Lady Raiders survived a last-second shot to outlast Gering 67-66.

Kierra Schrader led the Lady Raiders with 16 points, Rylan Misegadis added 14 points, while Lilee Wieser chipped in 10 points. Mackenzie Todds game-high 25 points paced Gering while Jacelyn Brown added 18 points for the Lady Bulldogs.

SIDNEY – Ashlynn Weinbender 2, Jordynn Schnell 2, Kierra Schrader 16, Carli Black 4, Ryan Dillehay 6, Taylor Sprenger 2, Kayla Westby 9, Rylan Misegadis 14, Zoey Christensen 0, Lilee Wieser 10, Reagan Nesbitt 2
GERING – Aubrey Anderson 9, Makenzie Todd 25, Jacelyn Brown 18, Kamry Lopez 5, Ivy Bruckner 0, Jacey Cochran 9, Keira Baard 0

Junior Keian Kaiser scored the Red Raiders’ first seven points as Sidney sprinted to a 13-3 lead in the opening minutes of the boy’s game on Saturday night in Gering. It was a lead the Red Raiders would not relinquish. Six Sidney players scored in the opening stanza as the Red Raiders took a 21-10 into the second period and a 33-23 lead into the intermission.

A 9-0 Red Raider in the first three minutes of the second half increased Sidney advantage to 42-23. The Red Raiders took a 48-35 lead into the final period and cruised to a 64-45 win.

Sidney had ten players score in the game led by junior Alek Doty’s 20 points while Keian Kaiser finished with 17 points. Gering was paced by junior Gage Ruzicka with 16 points followed by sophomore Ryland Ray with 12 points and Jack Maser with 11 points.

SIDNEY - Reid Fiscus 7, Kash Knobbe 2, Landon Riddle 6, Noah Canas 1, Lance Holly 6, Alek Doty 20, Keian Kaiser 17, Rhys Dorcey 1, Grahm Santero 0, Kale Kaiser 2, Anderson Smelley 0, Kyle Jaggers 3
GERING – Ryland Ray 12, Gage Ruzicka 16, Nate Seiler 0, Deakon Tuttle 0, Jack Maser 11, Max Judy 6, Trenton Brunner 6, Jacoby Elliott 0, Hezekiah Garcia 0, Quinton Robbins 0, Colter Shellito 0, Aidyn McDonald 0

Both Sidney teams return to action next Friday when they travel; to Imperial to face the Chase County Longhorns. Junior varsity games tipoff at 4:00 p.m. The girls’ varsity is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. followed by the boys’ varsity at 7:00 p.m.