Comet girls’ late rally falls short against Decorah, 47-40

No. 8-ranked Charles City boys win 10th straight in Decorah

Press Staff Report

CHARLES CITY — Down by 13 at halftime, the Charles City Comets increased their intensity on defense and their aggressiveness on offense and nearly caught the visiting Decorah Vikings in Northeast Iowa Conference girls basketball action on Friday.

Playing with a sense of urgency of a team seeking its first win of the season, Charles City drew within 4 (41-37) with a little more than three minutes left in regulation.

But unfortunately for the Comets, they ran out of time and fouls.

With 2:30 left in the fourth, senior Payton Reams — the team’s best ballhander — fouled out. Then with just under a minute remaining in regulation, sophomore Lynn Hoeft — the team’s best on-ball defender — picked up her fifth foul.

Both players were instrumental in Charles City’s second-half rally. Reams hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions to help close the gap to single digits, and Hoeft harassed the Vikings into making numerous turnovers while leading both teams in steals.

Soon after both players were “disqualified”, Charles City was faced with a must-foul situation and the Vikings didn’t crack at the foul line on way to sealing a 47-40 win.

Lindsey McEnaney led Vikings and all scorers with 22 points, 15 of which compiled in the first half helping Decorah (5-10, 2-5) take a 31-18 lead into the locker room.

Charles City sophomore Olivia Zuspan scored 12 points to lead the Comets (0-12, 0-7). Zuspan’s driving scoop layup through the heart of the Vikings’ defense is what drew the Comets within 4 late in the game.

* Meanwhile over in Decorah, the Class 3A No. 8-ranked Charles City boys basketball team won its 10th game in a row in beating the Vikings, 54-35.

Comet junior guard Jackson Molstead led all scorers with 19 points. Senior guard Mike Cranshaw scored 15, and senior forward Cade Hemesath had a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 15 rebounds for Charles City, which improved to 10-1 overall while remaining undefeated (7-0) in the NEIC.

“We got off to a slow start offensively but our defense remained constant,” said Charles City head coach Ben Klapperich, whose team led 22-18 at halftime before out-scoring Decorah 32-17 in the second half.

“We executed our offense and got some great looks in the first half but shots just weren’t falling,” Klapperich said. “In the second half we were able to get a couple to go in early in the third quarter that propelled us offensively.”

Klapperich commended his team for the way it controlled the defensive glass.

“We were able to limit Decorah to one shot and did a great job of gang rebounding,” he said.

Jonah Johnson had 12 points to lead the Vikings (5-7, 2-3).

Girls Basketball

DECORAH 47, CHARLES CITY 40

Scoring By Quarters

DECORAH 12 19 6 10 — 47

CHARLES CITY 9 9 9 13 — 40

DECORAH (47)

Ambira Pipho 13, Madison McEnaney 8, Allie Hafner 2, Lindsey McEnaney 22, Skyler Malone 2.

CHARLES CITY (40)

Lynn Hoeft 5, Danielle Stock 4, Payton Reams 7, Kara Hoffman 4, Olivia Zuspan 12, Jodie Sindlinger 8.

Boys Basketball

CHARLES CITY 54, DECORAH 35

Scoring By Quarters

CHARLES CITY 13 9 18 16 — 54

DECORAH 8 10 11 6 — 35

CHARLES CITY (54)

Jack Molstead 19, Mike Cranshaw 15, Bradley Andrews 1, Noah Schlader 4, Colton Slinger 5, Cade Hemesath 10.

DECORAH (35)

Jonah Johnson 12, Austin Myli 4, Nick Bockman 7, Clay Johansen 7, Tynah Nelson 3, Logan Halverson 2.