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Posted: Feb 26, 2026 7:50 PMUpdated: Feb 26, 2026 8:50 PM
Bullpups Flip the Switch, Roll Past Halstead
For a half, it looked like somebody forgot to plug the scoreboard in. The Caney Valley Bullpups trailed the Halstead Dragons 15-14 at the break in a Sub-State quarterfinal that felt more like a defensive clinic than a track meet. Then the third quarter happened, and whatever was said in that locker room clearly worked. Caney Valley stormed out of halftime on a 23-5 tear, flipping a one-point deficit into a commanding 37-18 lead by the end of the third.
From there, it was less suspense and more statement. The Bullpups clamped down defensively and finally turned stops into fast-break points, burying Halstead 54-34 on their home floor. Layne Denny, Gavin Messner, and Peyton Darden all finished in double figures, providing the offensive punch to match a defense that never really blinked.
After the win, head coach Matt Washburn kept it simple: “We played good defense the whole game, but it took until the third quarter for it to result in fast break points. We have a tough road game ahead.” That road test comes Tuesday night in Neodesha, where the Bullpups will try to bottle up that third-quarter magic and punch their ticket past the semifinal round.
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