Raiderettes one win from state

MOUNT AYR — In a battle pitting years of experience between Nodaway Valley and host Mount Ayr, it was the Raiderette seniors who stepped up in the biggest moments.

Friday’s regional semifinal between the Raiderettes and Wolverines yielded a favorable result for Mount Ayr in front of its rowdy crowd in a 43-35 win.

Mount Ayr (21-2), ranked 11th in class 2A, will next square off with 12th-ranked Logan-Magnolia (20-3), tonight (Monday) in Stuart in the regional final. Lo-Ma got there by way of a 56-48 win over South Central Calhoun. A trip to state is on the line.

The Pride of Iowa rivals had split their two matchups this season. Mount Ayr won the first go around 35-33 on Dec. 13. The Wolverines cruised out to a big lead in the fourth quarter of a 42-26 win in Greenfield on Jan 31.

“That kind of stung for a while,” Mount Ayr’s Megan Warin said. “We knew we were probably going to match up with them in regionals.”

Despite running out in front in a strong second quarter on the back of Kelcie Shields, who finished with nine points, the two squads found themselves trading blows akin to what they’ve become used to over the last four years for these two senior classes.

A 10-point lead after a Megan Warin 3-pointer slowly faded away as Nodaway Valley made its run.

Warin hit another three to give Mount Ayr a 27-19 lead late in the third quarter and sprinted back on defense exuding ecstasy, but Nodaway Valley kept responding.

After a Josie Clarke bucket through contact to make the score 29-23 in favor of Mount Ayr, Paige McElfish scored two buckets and hit both free throws in a one-and-one situation to tie the game at 29-29 with just under six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

The gym had reached a fever pitch, with the packed bleachers and student sections on both sides having hardly mellowed at any point since the opening tip.

Then came the clutch play of a Raiderette who does not normally assume much responsibility in the scoring department.

Blair Glendenning hit two free throws and scored two straight buckets in the paint to hand Mount Ayr a 35-30 lead.

“She (Blair) usually doesn’t shoot the ball very much but the last couple of games she has been stepping up and really contributing to the team,” Shields said.

Mount Ayr coach Thad Streit was even more impressed with his senior role player.

“The last two games Blair’s had 19 points,” Streit said. “I don’t think she has scored 19 points in two months. She’s a gamer, and she’s got a lot of heart.”

Fellow seniors Macy Larsen and Warin hit their free throws down the stretch, and the Raiderettes held on.

Afterward, coach Streit embraced both McElfish and Clarke.

“I hugged those two and I said ‘Hey guys, it has been a pleasure playing against you guys and I’m finally glad you’re gone,’ (he said with a laugh). They’re good ball players and good kids,” Streit said.

Like every team that had come up against those two Wolverine seniors over the years, Streit had a gameplan designed strategically to stop those two. McElfish was followed persistently every-waking moment of the game. Clarke was shadowed by multiple defenders at all times.

“We were making sure that those two were not going to beat us tonight and they were not going to get any touches. Paige ended up with 14 and that just shows you how tough she is,” Streit said.

McElfish, like each of Nodaway Valley’s seniors, received compliments and hugs all-around at the conclusion of the night.

Clarke and McElfish are the two more well-known of the bunch, but seniors Natalie Daugherty, Riley Lonsdale and Keeley Shantz (who has been injured much of the year) saw their time as Wolverines hoopsters come to an end.

“It was a lot of fun,” McElfish said. “Riley and Keeley have both been out with knee injuries for the past couple years and that sucks... but I thought we really stuck, together. A lot of classes, a lot of them will go out and they’ll be down to two or three and we stuck it out.

Nodaway Valley coach Tom Thompson was quick to credit this group of senior girls with much of the success for this Wolverine program in recent years.

“The best part about those kids is they’ve all hung together and stuck together and kept playing,” Thompson said.

“To have Natalie Daugherty, and Riley Lonsdale and Keeley Shantz stick it out for four years and make Paige and Josie better and make the other girls better, it has just been...”

Thompson couldn’t find the word for it. He didn’t have to. The emotion showing on the faces of Nodaway Valley and Mount Ayr fans afterward said it all.

MA — Totals — 13 15-27 43. Scoring — Megan Warin 3 3-9 11, Kelcie Shields 4 1-4 9, Blair Glendenning 3 2-2 8, Tess Shields 1 4-4 6, Macy Larsen 0 5-8 5, Sam Stewart 2 0-0 4. FG Shooting 13-37 (35.1 percent) 3-pt. Goals — 2 (Warin 2). Rebounds — 31 (Kelcie Shields 10, Warin 7, Glendenning 4, Tess Shields 4). Assists — 9 (Tess Shields 3, Warin 3). Steals — 8 (Glendenning 4, four with one). Team fouls — 11. Fouled out — None.

NV — Totals — 14 6-12 35. Scoring — Paige McElfish 4 6-7 14, Annie Herr 3 0-2 7, Josie Clarke 3 0-1 6, Addie Lamb 3 0-0 6, Natalie Daugherty 2 0-0 2. FG Shooting 14-46 (30.4 percent) 3-pt. Goals — 1 (Herr 1). Rebounds — 27 (McElfish 13, Clarke 5). Assists — 6 (Herr 3, Clarke 2). Steals — 8 (McElfish 3, Clarke 2, Jodie Baudler 2). Team fouls — 20. Fouled out — None.

NV (35) — 10 2 13 10

MA (43) — 7 12 10 14