The Wellsville-Middletown boys basketball team didn’t have much trouble against Community R-6 in Josh Albregts’ coaching debut on Nov. 26.

The Tigers won their first season-opening game in three years after cruising past the Trojans 61-40 on the road. A year ago, they lost 55-37 to Community.

Albregts took over W-M boys basketball coaching duties this season, replacing Steve Lasman, who is heading the girls team. This is his first year coaching high school basketball.

The W-M girls couldn’t pull off another victory over the Trojans on Nov. 26 as they lost 45-21. Last year, the Tigers beat Community 41-34 for their first win over the Laddonia school since 2009.

Four players scored for the Tigers in the boys contest against Community. Senior Cooper Henderson, an all-Eastern Missouri Conference performer last year, scored a game-high 24 points, including 16 in the first half.

Senior Gage Marshall finished with 17, including 14 in the first half. Senior Jonah Slovensky added 13, including seven in the opening half. Sophomore Shane Joles scored seven. All four players return from last year’s team that won only two games last year.

W-M led 24-10 after the first quarter and 41-18 at halftime. It reached the 60-point mark for the first time since Jan. 23, 2023, when it scored 60 against Keytesville in the Keytesville Tournament.

The Tigers also beat the Trojans for the second straight meeting. Last year, W-M beat Community 43-40 in a consolation semifinal game of the New Franklin Tournament for its first victory after an 0-8 start.

KaTayvn Wheeler scored 17 to lead Community, which dropped to 0-4.
The Tigers had just three players score in the girls contest. Sophomore Elly Cash scored 13 points, six in the first half and seven in the second. Seniors Hallie Guzy and Keigan Hall each had four.

Community led W-M 12-3 and 25-9 at halftime, spoiling Lasman’s debut as the Tigers’ girls coach. He headed the boys program for seven years.