Rebels dismantle Comets to advance in district play

For the third straight year, Gladbrook-Reinbeck ended BCLUW’s season in Class 1A, District 9 play as the Rebels cruised to an 85-32 quarterfinal win over the Comets on Thursday night in Reinbeck.
           
The Rebels (20-2) never trailed in the contest, jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead on free throws from guards Joe Smoldt and Colton Dinsdale, and though the Comets bounced back with an Elijah Ralston three-pointer, Smoldt proceeded to hit one in response and make it 7-3. From there, G-R put its foot on the gas and never let up.
           
“We wanted to kind of test ourselves. We hadn’t played in a week,” G-R coach Scott Kiburis said. “We wanted to see how hard we could play.”
           
By the time the Comets took their first time out, the score was already 12-3, and Smoldt’s red hot shooting guided the Rebels to a 28-5 lead at the end of the first quarter as Caden Kickbush hit a shot as time expired. 
 
Read more in this week's Grundy Register.