The Hive Sports

by James Tate

The West Field Longhorns continued their midseason surge Friday night, riding a career performance from senior guard Daxton Laughter to a 79–65 home victory over Region 5 rival Fremont. The win marks West Field’s fourth straight and moves the Longhorns to 7–4 overall and 2–0 in region play, while the Silverwolves fall to 2–10 and 0–2.

West Field set the tone early, taking a 16–11 first‑quarter lead behind a balanced scoring burst. Sophomore Drew Faddis scored six points in the opening frame, while Laughter and senior Cason Malan each added five. The Longhorns mixed two early three‑pointers with strong drives to the rim to build the advantage. Fremont stayed within reach thanks to senior Zach Hancock, who tallied five points in the quarter.

The second quarter turned into an offensive showcase for both teams, each putting up 22 points. Fremont sophomore guard Easton Hansen caught fire, drilling four three‑pointers and scoring 12 in the period to keep the Silverwolves close. West Field countered with steady production from Laughter and senior Jaden Fowers, who each scored six in the quarter. The Longhorns carried a 38–33 lead into halftime.

Jaden Fowers

Second half: key run sparks West Field’s separation

The game’s defining surge came midway through the third quarter. After Fremont trimmed West Field’s lead to 44–41 on back‑to‑back layups from Hancock, the Longhorns answered with the run that ultimately broke the game open. With 4:50 on the clock, Laughter buried a three‑pointer to ignite a 9–0 burst.

Faddis followed by crashing the offensive glass for a putback, Malan knocked down a mid‑range jumper, and Laughter capped the run with a driving layup at the 3:00 mark to stretch the lead to 53–41.

West Field carried that momentum through the rest of the period, closing the third quarter ahead 59–48 and firmly in control. Laughter continued to attack downhill and finish through contact, ultimately posting a game‑ and career‑high 26 points to lead all scorers.

In the fourth quarter, the Longhorns sealed the win with a 20‑point closing burst, powered by Laughter’s 11 points and perfect 6-for-6 shooting at the free‑throw line. Fremont battled throughout the game behind Hansen’s 24 points, while Hancock added 22 for the Silverwolves. West Field’s balanced scoring carried them home, with Malan finishing the game with 19 points and Fowers adding 17 to secure the rivalry victory.

With confidence rising and their rotation clicking, the Longhorns look every bit like a team ready to contend in Region 5 as league play heats up.

photos courtesy of James Tate