Athletic Lancers shut down Eagles

PEPIN -- The Eagles dug themselves an early hole -- they were down nine to Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran after one quarter of play Thursday -- and lost the Small Dairyland Conference tilt 54-40.

Pepin-Alma (5-13 overall, 4-8 league) has lost eight of its last nine contests.

“We weren’t making shots and (in the) first half we didn’t keep them off the boards,” Eagles coach Loren Mueller said. “They’re very athletic, lot of guys up above the rim. They killed us with second shots.”

The Eagles got as close as eight in the fourth quarter, but the Lancers (14-4, 9-3) finished the game strong.

The Eagles’ lone returning starters from last year, Trevor Fink and Dustin Huber, each scored in double figures. Fink led the team with 12 points while Huber added 11. Jacob Lerum tallied seven points and five rebounds for the Eagles, who close out the regular season Tuesday with a trip to Cochrane-Fountain City.

“That’s always a big game,” said freshman Charlie Raethke, who scored five points Thursday. “It’s a pretty heated rivalry I would say."

For more on the Pepin-Alma Eagles, pick up Saturday’s Republican Eagle.

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