Sully Buttes Chargers Fall Short at State Tournament

Top-seeded Viborg-Hurley defeats Chargers 72-53 in final game

Mar. 23, 2026 at 1:07am

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The Sully Buttes Chargers basketball team fell short in their state tournament run, dropping all three games at the event. In their final matchup, they lost 72-53 against top-seeded Viborg-Hurley despite holding a two-point lead at halftime. The Chargers finished the season with an 18-7 record and an eighth-place finish at state.

Why it matters

The Chargers' state tournament appearance was their first since 2019, marking an important return to the big stage for the program. However, they were unable to pull off any upsets against the top competition, raising questions about the team's ability to compete at the highest level.

The details

In the loss to Viborg-Hurley, the Chargers were led by strong individual performances from Wesley Wittler, who scored 18 points, and Easton Moore, who missed just four shots en route to 23 points. But the duo of Jake Austin and Brady Schroedemeier combined for 50 points to power Viborg-Hurley to the victory. Overall, the Chargers shot just 31% from the field and 30% from three-point range, while Viborg-Hurley shot 44% from the field.

  • The Chargers' state tournament run took place on March 23, 2026.
  • The Chargers' last state tournament appearance was in 2019.

The players

Wesley Wittler

A Sully Buttes Chargers player who scored 18 points in the team's final game.

Easton Moore

A Sully Buttes Chargers player who scored 23 points and missed just four shots in the team's final game.

Jake Austin

A Viborg-Hurley player who combined with teammate Brady Schroedemeier to score 50 points in the win over Sully Buttes.

Brady Schroedemeier

A Viborg-Hurley player who combined with teammate Jake Austin to score 50 points in the win over Sully Buttes.

Gavin Colson

A Sully Buttes Chargers senior who will be graduating after this season.

James Miles

A Sully Buttes Chargers senior who will be graduating after this season.

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The takeaway

The Sully Buttes Chargers' state tournament run ended in disappointment, as they were unable to pull off any upsets against the top competition. However, their return to the big stage after a multi-year absence suggests the program is headed in the right direction, even if they have more work to do to compete at the highest level.