Comets close out regular season with come-from-behind home win (61-58) over Mohawks

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — The Charles City Comets closed the regular season at home with Monday’s non-conference game against Mason City.

It was the most vocally attended game of the pandemic-crowd-restricted season in terms of student-body spirit. But it was the Mohawk cheering section that was making the most noise much of the night.

There was a reason for this.

The Comets struggled out the gate and spotted the Mohawks a 10-point lead (11-1 and then 13-3) in the first quarter. Charles City didn’t score until nearly four minutes elapsed, and that was from a free throw — but even getting that was an ordeal as it was the first make out of six attempts … FT shooting would plague the Comets throughout the game.

After finally taking the lead in the fourth quarter and then regaining the lead with less than a half minute remaining, the Comets gave their own fans something to cheer about with a thrilling come-from-behind 61-58 victory.

Likely playing his final game at Comet Gym, senior guard JJ Ritter led the Comets with 17 points.

Ritter, whose playing time was curtailed due to picking up his third foul before the third quarter, drew the Comets within 1 (57-56) with an off-hand drive to the basket with one minute remaining in regulation.

Soon after, Kaden Barry — another senior saying goodbye to Comet Gym — hit an eight-foot banker while being fouled to tie the score at 58. Barry missed his “and one” attempt for the lead, but Ian Collins seized the offensive rebound to extend the possession.

After a timeout, Chase Low managed to drive down the center of the lane to finish at the hole while drawing a foul. The ensuing 3-point play would prove to cap the scoring as the Mohawks, after retrieving a missed 3-point field goal attempt with time running off the clock, retreated back to the arc for another attempt but couldn’t get it off before the buzzer sounded.

While trying to chase down the stubborn Mohawks, Low brought the Comet student section to life with a stick-back slam dunk that drew Charles City within 7 (40-33) after trailing much of the game by double-digits.

But things took a sudden turn for the worse for the Comets when, on the ensuing Mohawk possession, Low picked up his fourth foul with 4:45 left in the third quarter.

With Low on the bench, Jose Hernandez drilled a long 3-pointer to draw the Comets within 2 (45-43), then hit another trey the next time down to give Charles City its first lead (46-45) with 6:40 left in the fourth quarter.

Low had 11 points and Hernandez scored 10 for the Comets, who finished the regular season with an overall 9-12 record.

Corey Miner led all scorers with 20 points for the Mohawks (5-16).

Next up for Charles City are the Class 3A-Substate 3 quarterfinals where the Comets will take on Crestwood (12-5) in Cresco at 7 p.m. Feb. 22. The teams have split their Northeast Iowa Conference regular-season series this season.

* Last Thursday (Feb. 11), the Charles City Comets rode a comeback wave in the fourth quarter to overtake Crestwood on the road while avenging a home loss to the Cadets less than a week before.

To keep that momentum going with the postseason looming, the Comets would need another late surge to catch visiting Aplington-Parkersburg the following night (Feb. 12).

The Comets were able to outscore the Class 2A state-ranked Falcons 23-15 in the fourth quarter, but the Falcons had too many weapons they could rely on to get needed baskets to keep their distance while winning 76-64.

Falcon junior Jayden Mackie helped A-P take a 43-26 lead into the locker room while hitting three of his four 3-point field goals in the first half before eventually topping out at 17 points.

Garrett Hempen and Gavin Thomas also were in double-figures for the Falcons (18-3) with 16 and 13 points, respectively.

Charles City was led scoring-wise by Low, who had a game-high 21 points.

Low is likely among the state leaders in slam-dunk field goals, but he also has a nice finger-roll while finishing near the rim after taking defenders off the dribble, which he did repeatedly against the Falcons on Friday night.

Hernandez scored 16 points off the bench, andRitter scored 13 while going eight-of-eight at the free throw line.

Ritter, Barry, Jeremiah Chapman and Cael Ruzicka were all honored before Friday’s varsity game as part of the team’s “Senior Night”.

APLINGTON-PARKERSBURG 76, CHARLES CITY 64

Scoring By Quarters

AP 23 20 18 15 — 76

CC 14 12 15 23 — 64

APLINGTON-PARKERSBURG — Jayden Mackie 17, Gavin Thomas 12, Garrett Hempen 16, Josh Haan 9, Owen Thomas 8, Elijah Switzer 6, Cooper Hoff 5, Christian Haugstad 3.

CHARLES CITY — JJ Ritter 13, Jose Hernandez 16, Chase Low 21, Hunter Sullivan 2, Kaden Barry 3, Jeremiah Chapman 6.

CHARLES CITY 61, MASON CITY 58

Scoring By Quarters

MC 15 20 10 13 — 58

CC 7 20 13 21 — 61

MASON CITY — Carter Thomas 7, Isaiah Washington 15, Corey Miner 20, Kale Hobart 9, Brandon Shipman 5, Mike Willis 2.

CHARLES CITY — JJ Ritter 17, Jose Hernandez 10, Ian Collins 7, Mario Hoefer 4, Chase Low 11, Kaden Barry 9, Jeremiah Chapman 3.