By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

HAYTI - The Bernie Mules kicked off the 2012 Class 2, District 1 tournament with a bang on Monday night, as they dismantled the Senath-Hornersville Lions in a 72-24 blowout.

The Mules buried three treys in the first quarter - two from Troy Kirkpatrick and one from Sam Turner - on their way to a 16-4 lead after the opening frame.

The second quarter saw the Lions put together their highest scoring effort of the game, but Bernie's tenacious defense held them to nine points. A nine point effort from David Baker capped off a 20 point second quarter to give Bernie a 36-13 lead at the half.

The Mules were hot-handed again in the third quarter, with treys from Kirkpatrick and B.J. Jennings. Baker put together a 10 point effort for a 58-18 Bernie advantage moving into the fourth.

Despite the running clock the Mules were still able to drop 14 points in the fourth quarter, thanks in part to threes from Kirkpatrick and Matt Vernon, on their way to the lopsided 72-24 final score.

Kody Wright led the Lions with six points in the contest.

Baker paced the Mules with 27 points; Kirkpatrick and Turner rounded out Mules in double figures with 18 and 11 respective points.

“It was a good start to the post-season," head coach Brad Botsch said. "I thought our guys came out and played very hard on the defensive end and had the right mindset from the get-go."

The Mules will advance to the semifinals, where they take on the Holcomb Hornets; it will be the third time this season the Mules and Hornets have met, and Bernie holds a 2-1 advantage on the season series.

"We now need two really solid practices to get ready for a very good and well-coached team in Holcomb, Botsch noted.”

The Mules and Hornets are set to meet in Class 2, District 1 Semifinal action on Thursday night at Hayti High School; tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Photo Above:
Head coach Brad Botsch addresses the Mules during a timeout in the Bloomfield Christmas Tournament. (SMT file photo by Andrew Cato)