Chiefs Go 1-1 in Doubleheader with Fort Madison

The Keokuk Chiefs split competition in doubleheader action against Fort Madison on Friday in boys and girls basketball.

Keokuk picked up a dominant 56-21 win in the first half of the doubleheader thanks to the girls team playing one of their best games of the season.

Fort Madison trailed Keokuk 20-5 after the first and 36-16 heading into the halftime break.

The Chiefs would then hold the Bloodhounds scoreless in the third quarter, outscoring them 15-0 and going into the fourth with a 51-10 lead.

Senior MacKenzie Northup was named the John Hawkinson State FArm Player of the Game as she led the team with her second straight 20 point game, finishing with 24 points after a 27 point performance against Faifield on Dec. 20. She also contributed in other areas as well with around six rebounds, four assists, five steals and a block.

Juniors Cassidy Koeber and Michenna Davis were impressive as well. Davis finished with more than 10 points to go with five steals and three triples while Koeber had eight points and some big rebounds throughout the game.

After the win, Keokuk sweeps Fort Madison and is now 6-4 (5-0) and will play their next game at Macomb on Monday night.

The boys team lost a heartbreaker by one point to the Bloodhounds, 49-48. This was the second time this year the Chiefs lost by one possession to their arch rival.

After sophomore Anthony Potratz fouled out with a few minutes left in the game, his backup and classmate Callum Tackes and senior Alex Wolter knocked down a couple big shots to give Keokuk the lead late in the game.

Fort Madison called timeout with around 15 seconds left and out of the timeout missed a go ahead shot, but junior Jayden Fedler grabbed the rebound and was fouled on the putback.

He made both free throws to give the Bloodhounds the lead and after a controversial no call on the imbounds pass after contact between Fedler and junior Tyjai Mueller, the Chiefs could not make a last second shot.

Wolter led the team with a 15 point, 11 rebound double-double to be named the John Hawkinson State Farm Player of the Game. Potratz scored 11 while sophomore Isaiah Seay added 12 on four made triples. Muller finished with nine points and five steals.

The loss drops Keokuk back to .500 at 6-6, but makes them just 1-4 in conference play. They will have an opportunity to bounce back and outright win the West Hancock Tournament with a game against the host Titans at 7:30 PM on Wednesday.