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The Wildcats won their eighth straight game in the first round of the District 20 boys' basketball playoffs on Thursday night, eliminating the visiting Dogs 79-68.

The Bulldogs - shown huddling in February - made 55 percent of their two-point shots against NL-S last week but shot only 32 percent from the free throw line and only one of 13 from three-point territory.

The third-seeded Wildcats (19-8) scored 50 points in the first half, taking an 11-point lead at halftime. Paynesville scored 39 points in the first half, but still trailed at the half.

The Wildcats held the Bulldogs to seven points in the third quarter, extending their lead to 15 points. Paynesville, seeded seventh, outscored the Cats 22-18 in the fourth quarter, but NL-S advanced, winning 79-68.

Paynesville had four players score in double figures. Senior Doug Mages led the Dogs with 18 points. Ninth grader Cory Nietfeld had 17, senior Adam Kampsen had 14, before fouling out, and senior Adam Hemmesch had 13.

The Bulldogs made 29 of 53 shots from two-point range against NL-S (55 percent) but made only one of 13 three-pointers and shot 32 percent from the free-throw line (7 for 22). NL-S also struggled on free throws, making 45 percent, but canned six three-pointers.

NL-S got 26 points from David Johnson, a 6' 5" junior center.

Senior Doug Mages led the Dogs against New London-Spicer in their district playoff last week, scoring 18 points.

The Wildcats won in the district semifinals on Saturday, beating second-seeded Eden Valley-Watkins 55-53 for their ninth straight win, and advanced to the district finals on Tuesday against Annandale.

The Bulldogs ended the season with a record of 6-16. They started the season 4-0 but lost 16 of the last 18 games, including 12 in a row to end the season.

Paynesville--	19	20	7	22	- 68
NL-S--	26	24	11	18	- 79

SCORING: (FG-FT/FTA-PTS)
Paynesville 68 - Doug Mages 8-2/7-18; Cory Nietfeld 7-3/7-17; Adam Kampsen 6-1/2-14; Adam Hemmesch 6-1/4-13; Mark Andrie 1-0/0-2; Adam Ingalsbe 1-0/0-2; Derek Stanger 1-0/0-2; Jordan Haag 0-0/2-0; TOTALS: FG 30/66, FT 7/22, 3's 1.

STATISTICS: 3-pointers - 1 Kampsen 1; Rebounds - 36 Kampsen 9; Mages 8; Hemmesch 8; Nietfeld 7; Assists - 13 Mages 4; Kampsen 3; Steals - 4; Blocks - 5 Nietfeld 2.

NL-S 79 - David Johnson 11-4/7-26; Todd Herman 6-1/2-14; Josh Chapin 6-0/0-13; Trevor Soupir 4-2/2-12; Grant Elton 2-2/4-6; Jamie Scheevel 2-0/0-6; Tim Dreier 1-0/3-2; Brent Nelson 0-0/2-0; TOTALS: FG 32/72, FT 9/20, 3's 6.