Van Buren Downs Columbus in SEISC Shootout Contest

Warriors take 62-37 victory over Wildcats in high school basketball matchup

Feb. 6, 2026 at 1:31pm

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The Columbus Wildcats were unable to overcome a strong defensive effort from the Van Buren County Warriors, falling 62-37 in their SEISC Shootout contest. The Warriors led by double digits throughout the game, capitalizing on Columbus turnovers and foul trouble to pull away for the 25-point victory.

Why it matters

This game highlighted the defensive prowess of the Van Buren Warriors, who used a full-court press and strong positioning to stifle the Wildcats' offense. The loss snaps a five-game winning streak for Columbus, who are now 10-10 on the season, while Van Buren improves to 14-7.

The details

Van Buren opened the game with a 2-0 lead and never looked back, using a three-pointer to take the lead for good. The Warriors' full-court press caused major issues for Columbus, leading to numerous turnovers and limited offensive opportunities. Foul trouble for Columbus guards Iris Garza and Isabel Rendon further hampered the Wildcats' efforts. Van Buren led 18-7 after the first quarter and 33-20 at halftime.

  • The game was played on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • Van Buren led 18-7 after the first quarter.
  • Van Buren led 33-20 at halftime.

The players

Kennedy Woepking

A player for the Columbus Wildcats who led her team with 20 points.

Adalyn Snowgren

A player for the Van Buren County Warriors who led all scorers with 22 points.

Marlee Mertens

A player for the Van Buren County Warriors who scored 18 points, including five three-pointers.

Sophia Jirak

A player for the Van Buren County Warriors who scored 12 points.

Kasey Keltner

The head coach of the Columbus Wildcats.

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What they’re saying

“I think it was their alignment. They knew exactly where our kids were gonna be at. I thought they also, they were going very hard and getting to spots before we were. I also thought they had good high hands and taking away passing angles. So, I thought that gave us a lot of trouble.”

— Kasey Keltner, Columbus Wildcats Head Coach (kciiradio.com)

What’s next

Columbus will wrap up their regular season against Cardinal on Monday.

The takeaway

This game showcased the defensive prowess of the Van Buren Warriors, who used their full-court press and strong positioning to disrupt the Columbus offense and pull away for a convincing victory. The loss snaps a winning streak for the Wildcats, who will look to rebound in their final regular season game.