Comets advance to Substate 2 boys basketball semifinals with 69-56 win over Cadets

Press Staff Report

IOWA FALLS — With a 69-56 victory over Iowa Fall-Alden on Monday, the Charles City Comets advance to the Class 3A-Substate 2 boys basketball semifinal round.

Chase Low scored a team-high 22 points with Jose Hernandez adding 20 for the Comets (13-9), who also got scoring from Mario Hoefer (15), Drew Martin (5), Jack Hanson (4) and Jeb Wandro (3).

Hernandez also was credited with five assists, and Hoefer hustled to track down 15 rebounds

Cadet senior Sam Weaver had a game-high as well as a career-high 26 points for IFA (11-11).

The Comets led throughout most of the game, but second-chance points from the Cadets kept them close in the first half before Charles City took a 35-32 lead at intermission.

“Our guys did a great job of executing the game plan tonight and holding their leading scorer (Blake Janssen) to 5 points,” Charles City head coach Ben Klapperich said. “We did a much better job of controlling the tempo and limiting second chance points in the second half. Our seniors stepped up in a big way.”

The Comets will face No. 1-ranked Decorah in the semifinals 7 p.m. Thursday in Decorah.

Charles City has lost to twice to the Vikings this season.

The Substate 2 championship game is 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at Waterloo East High School.