POINTS OFF TURNOVER … Wauseon’s Xzavier Molina cruises in for a layup off a Delta turnover in the first quarter.
PHOTOS BY RACHEL NAGEL / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HITTING THE BOARDS … Delta senior Gunnar Avery looks to put back a rebound for a bucket.
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
WAUSEON (January 30, 2026) – It was the tale of two halves on Friday night at Wauseon High School. The first half saw Wauseon shoot just 6-18 from the floor and commit nine turnovers.
On the flip side, Delta was just 8-25, but four of their makes were triples and they turned it over just twice.
The second half, especially the third quarter, was a different story. The Indians shot 60% from the floor in the quarter, had just two turnovers in the second half, and rode the hot hand of Riley Riegsecker, who scored 13 in the third, to rally for the win and stay tied for first place in the NWOAL.
The teams started the game by trading trifectas as Alex York connected for Delta, and Riegsecker hit the first of his four long balls on the night for Wauseon.
An Ashton Alig triple would give Delta a 10-7 lead, but the Indians responded with the final six points of the quarter. Xzavier Molina had back-to-back buckets and Riegsecker added a field goal to put the Indians up 13-10 after one.
Jack Alstaetter started the second for Wauseon with a pair of free throws, the only points of the quarter for Wauseon. While Wauseon was going 0-9 shooting and coughing it up six times in the quarter, Delta was finding its stride offensively.
The next 11 points went to Delta as Vincent Martinez banked in a trey, Gary Valentine scored inside, and York hit a jumper followed by a triple from the right wing and then 1-2 at the foul line to give Delta a 21-15 lead at halftime.
Wauseon would flip the script in the third. Molina and Riegsecker buried triples to begin the 12-4 run for the Indians.
Riegsecker added a layup off a Delta turnover before drilling a triple from the right corner and then adding a lay-in off a pass from Molina to put Wauseon up, 30-25.
A pull-up jumper from York made it 30-27, but Riegsecker hit a deep three from the left wing, and Molina added a layup to extend the lead to 35-27.
Another bucket by York brought Delta to within 35-29 before the Indians would get a bucket from Bodie Vasvery and then a 3-4 stretch at the line for Wauseon gave them a 40-29 lead after three quarters.
The first five points of the fourth went to the Panthers. A York 15-foot jumper and a 3-3 trip to the line by Vincent Martinez cut the Indians lead to 40-34.
The Indians answered with a 5-0 run as Vasvery and Riegsecker scored and Collin Mennetti was 1-2 at the stripe to push the lead to 45-34.
Gunnar Avery tried to keep the Panthers close with consecutive offensive rebound stickbacks, but Riegsecker added one more field goal, then was 1-2 at the line, and Alstaetter scored down low for a 50-38 lead.
Despite the 0-9 second quarter, Wauseon finished 18-38 (47%) from the field, including 5-9 from behind the arc. Riegsecker posted a game-high 25 points and Molina added nine.
Delta, which closed 16-44 (36%) from the floor, was fronted by York with 21.
DELTA (40) – Martinez 6; Alig 3; Valentine 2; Lohman 0; York 21; Lintermoot 0; Mazurowski 0; Avery 8; Totals: 12-4-4 – 40
WAUSEON (50) – Molina 9; Mennetti 2; Alstaetter 8; Riegsecker 25; Vasvery 6; Rodriguez 0; Shehorn 0; Totals: 13-5-9 50
DHS 10 11 8 11 – 40
WHS 13 2 25 10 – 50