April 20, 2024

Clapper reaches scoring milestone in Bolts’ win over Collins-Maxwell

By Troy Hyde

Baxter senior Will Clapper, left, poses with boys' basketball coach Zach Hasselbrink after scoring his 1,000th career point in a win over Collins-Maxwell on Friday night. Clapper finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds. (Photo by)

BAXTER — Baxter senior Will Clapper hit the 1,000-point threshold for his career with a double-double and the 21 point, 10 rebound effort led the Bolts’ boys’ basketball team to a 62-43 home win over Collins-Maxwell on Friday during Iowa Star Conference play.

The Bolts led the Spartans 15-8 after one quarter and led 31-21 at the break.

Baxter scored the first 10 points of the third quarter to go up 41-21 and then coasted to the win from there.

Four players scored in double figures for the Bolts (2-2 overall, 2-1 in conference play).

Senior Brendyn Padget and sophomore Kael Johnston each scored 11 points and junior Carter Nelsen pitched in 10 for the Bolts.

Padget also grabbed six boards and dished out six assists. Clapper delivered five assists, Nelsen had three rebounds, four steals and two blocks and Johnston finished with three assists and two steals.

Senior Ian Thomson tallied six points, five rebounds and three assists.

Baxter hit eight 3-pointers. Johnston was 3-for-8, Nelsen and Thomson were both 2-of-3 and Clapper was 1-of-2.

Clapper now has 1,018 career points.

The Bolts were without junior Cole Damman for the second straight game because of an injury.

Collins-Maxwell (1-4, 1-3) was led by Brett Livesay and John Kasper, who each had 11 points in the loss.

GIRLS

Collins-Maxwell 44,

Baxter 40

BAXTER — Another off shooting night plagued the Baxter girls on Friday night during Iowa Star Conference play against Collins-Maxwell.

Junior Holly Jessen had 11 points and sophomore McKenzie Eslinger grabbed 11 rebounds, but the Bolts couldn’t come up with a second-half rally during a 44-40 home loss.

Baxter (0-6, 0-3) trailed by two after one but tied the score at 17-all at halftime.

Collins-Maxwell (4-3, 3-1) won the third quarter 14-6 before Baxter trimmed the final margin to four with a 17-13 advantage in the fourth.

Eslinger and junior Caitlyn Bruntz both scored seven points and senior Kaylin Van Ryswyk tallied five points and nine boards.

Senior Brenna Thomson tallied a team-high four assists, senior Sydney Schmidt collected a team-best three steals and junior Sadie Meyer had three rebounds and two blocks.

Baxter plays North Tama in a girl-boy varsity doubleheader starting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Traer. The boys game is scheduled to start at 8 p.m.