GUERNSEY – The Southeast High School Cyclones posted their fourth conference win with a decisive 52-27 victory against the Guernsey-Sunrise Vikings on Tuesday, February 13. 

The Cyclones’ landslide against the Vikings reinforced Southeast’s position at the top of the 1A Southeast Quadrant with an undefeated, 4-0 record.

The Cyclones found themselves ahead by a considerable 30-17 advantage against Guernsey-Sunrise at halftime. 

Southeast’s team chemistry really came together in an explosive third quarter with a gritty Cyclones’ offense netting 20 points while a solid Southeast defense held the Vikings to only two points.

Ahead by an overwhelming 31-point spread, 50-19, at the end of the third quarter, Southeast sent its second string onto the court to finish the job.

“We played as a team and put in four quarters of good basketball,” head coach Craig Leithead said. “We shared the ball particularly well.”

The Cyclones finish out the regular season with an away game against conference rival Hanna-Elk Mountain on Saturday. Southeast trounced Hanna-Elk Mountain on January 6, 40-18.

“Guernsey and HEM play a similar defense and we will focus on continuing to play as a team,” Leithead added.

The Cyclones dominated the first quarter, topping Guernsey-Sunrise in scoring, 16-6.

Junior Kannon Tippetts commenced scoring for Southeast with a deep outside shot. Sophomore T.J. Moats followed with a jumper.

Guernsey scored before Tippetts responded with a jumper. Junior Ayden Shimic went 2-for-2 at the charity stripe. Moats blocked an attempted shot by the Vikings.

Junior Ayden Desmond netted a point from the charity stripe and Tippetts scored on a fastbreak.

Moats rounded out the first quarter with a 4-point run.

Guernsey-Sunrise found its footing in the second quarter, although the rally was too little, too late, with Southeast outscoring the Vikings, 14-11.

Ayden Shimic set the momentum for the Cyclones’ offense in the second quarter with six points. Moats and Desmond each contributed four points.

The halftime scoreboard favored Southeast, 30-17.

The Cyclones left it all on the court in an epic third quarter. Desmond opened scoring in the second half by converting an and-1.

Moats and Desmond went on a 4-point run. Moats snagged a steal, setting Tippetts up to net a jumper. Senior Cole Sauer rustled a steal. Tippetts and Ayden Shimic both scored on fastbreaks. 

Sophomore Beaux Shimic beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer.

Southeast substituted its second string into the game in the fourth quarter. Junior Sebastian Brumley tossed in a free throw and grabbed two steals. Sophomore Chase Sauer picked up a steal early in the final quarter.

Four Cyclones scored in double digits against Guernsey-Sunrise, led by Desmond with 14 points. Moats posted 13, Tippetts 11 and Ayden Shimic 10.

On the boards, Desmond tallied nine rebounds, Moats six and Cole Sauer five. Cole Sauer led the team in assists with seven. Ayden Shimic, Cole Sauer, Moats and Brumley each snatched two steals while Cole Sauer and Moats both posted two blocks.