The JV Rockets came out strong and fought for the whole game to beat the JV Royal Lions 45-25. The Varsity Rockets were down throughout the whole game, but continued to fight and work hard to come back for the victory in the fourth quarter.
This senior night recognized seniors from the following sports and activities: boys basketball, cheer, dance, speech, scholastic bowl, and pep band.
Starting for the Rockets:
- Number 2, Landyn Dummer, a 5’ 7” Senior
- Number 3, Cole Heald, a 6’ 2” Senior
- Number 4, Connor South, a 5’ 11” Senior
- Number 12, Cole Mulnix, a 6’ 8” Senior
- Number 24, Owen Mandrell, a 5’ 11” Senior
Starting for the Royal Lions:
- Number 10, Samuele Forni, a Senior
- Number 11, Brody Carlson, a Senior
- Number 12, Roman Sosnowski, a Senior
- Number 21, Jermaine Francis, a Senior
- Number 22, Brady Kneller, a Senior
Cole Mulnix (Rocket #12) outjumped Brady Kneller (Royal Lion #22) for the first possession of the game. Samuele Forni took the first points of the game with a two-point bucket while driving through the lane. The Rockets played in a man-to-man defense while the Royal Lions played in a 3-2 zone; neither team ventured away from these defenses for the majority of the game. The first quarter was a very back-and-forth game; neither team went on a significant run, and the Royal Lions led 18-17 by the end of the first.
The Royal Lions were given first possession of the second quarter, and Roman Sosnowski (Royal Lion #12) knocked down a three-pointer to start the quarter. The Royal Lions went on a 7-0 run to take the first substantial lead, 25-17. The Rockets soon answered back with a 6-0 run, which the Royal Lions combatted with a 5-0 run to 23-30 for the Royal Lions. The Rockets knocked down a free throw at the end to set the score 24-30, Royal Lions going into halftime.
The Dance team put on their senior night dance, featuring their four senior dancers. After their performance, the pep band played some tunes for the remaining minutes until the third quarter.
The Rockets began the third quarter with the first possession, but Brody Carlson was the first to score when he drove to the paint for a layup. The Royal Lions took a 5-0 run to 24-35, extending their lead. The Rockets continued to fight and went on a late 8-0 run to close out the quarter down eight points, 38-44.
The Royal Lions started with the first possession in the third quarter, but Max Burns (Rocket #0) knocked down a three-pointer for the first points, to which the Rockets scored a layup after to close the game to within three points. The Rockets caught fire, leading to another late 8-0 run, where they took the lead of the game 63-59. As expected, the game became very physical with strong emotions from all of the fans as they sat on the edge of their seats. In the crucial final moments of the game, Roman Sosnowski (Royal Lion #12) only made 1/3 free throws, forfeiting the Royal Lions’ opportunity to bring the game back to a one-point differential. The Rockets scored again in the final thirty seconds to win the game 65-60.
Leading scorers for the Rockets included Cole Mulnix (#12) with 14 points and Cole Heald (#3) with 13 points. Leading scorers for the Royal Lions included Brody Carlson (#11) with 22 points and Samuele Forni (#10) with 18 points.
The Rockets boys basketball team is now 10-17 overall for the season (3-4 in conference). The Rockets play again on Tuesday, February 10, on the road against Rockford Lutheran.
Congratulations to all seniors honored tonight for their achievements in the extracurriculars at Rock Falls High School, and good luck with your future endeavors!
