Clarke nearly surprises Creston

What looked like a runaway turned into a fight to the very end at Creston High School Saturday, as the Panther girls basketball team held off Clarke 50-46.

Clarke was playing without important starter Sydnee Redman (flu), and looked overwhelmed in falling behind 19-0 to start the game.

In fact, the Indians did not score until 10.7 seconds remained in the first, when Megan Linskens had a shot fall through the hoop and hit the ensuing free throw. Creston led 19-3 after a quarter.

Much of the rest of the game went in Clarke’s favor. Creston struggled to threaten offensively and turned the ball over 19 times.

“We refused to use ball-fakes and attack them and get the ball moving,” Creston coach Ryan McKim said. “A lot of staring and not moving it around on offense. That’s really easy to guard people that are not trying to be threats on offense.”

After Creston seemed to right the ship coming out in the third quarter, the Indians again battled back. Creston led 38-23 about halfway through the third, but Clarke scored the last seven points of the third and a couple buckets to start the fourth quarter.

“Whether you make or miss shots, your effort has to be there,” Clarke coach Eric Zokse said. “I was glad to see we weren’t making shots early on and our defense kept us in there.”

Around this time, Brielle Baker, who led Creston with 16 points, fouled out when Vanessa Bakley drew a charge.

“They’ve got two good players in Rutherford and Baker and Baker got us early in the third quarter,” Zoske said. “We did a good job of getting her fouled out.”

Saige Rice knocked down two free throws to extend Creston’s lead to five at 40-35. Lexie Little assisted to Cammy Rutherford for a bucket to make it seven at 42-35.

Clarke’s Cady Crawford, who hit four three-pointers in the game, nailed a triple which was followed up by a Deseree Stubbe bucket to pull Clarke within two, the closest it had been since the first minute of the game.

Soon after that, Rutherford stepped to the free throw line and knocked down two free throws. She did it again not long after, and finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.

“Those free throws were huge no doubt,” McKim said. “She stepped up the best she could for us.”

Injuries slowed the Panthers down as well. Bre Ross went down with an ankle injury in the first half and Breanna Wallace limped off with the help of coaches in the fourth quarter.

Cl: Scoring — Cady Crawford 4 0-0 12, Megan Linskens 4 3-3 12, Vanessa Bakley 3 3-6 11, Deseree Stubbe 3 1-4 7, Ashlynn Oehlert 1 2-2 4. 3-pt goals — 7 (Cady Crawford 4, Vanessa Bakley 2, Megan Linskens 1) FG Shooting — 15-46 (32.6 percent). Rebounds — 26 (Deseree Stubbe 5, Ashlynn Oehlert 4, Vanessa Bakley 4, Megan Linskens 3, Cady Crawford 3). Assists — 10 (Megan Linskens 4, Vanessa Bakley 3, Ashlynn Oehlert 2). Steals — 9 (Vanessa Bakley 3, Deseree Stubbe 2, Ashlynn Oehlert 2). Team fouls — 13 . Fouled out — None.

Cr: Scoring — Brielle Baker 7 0-1 16, Cammy Rutherford 2 6-6 10, Bre Wallace 3 0-0 9, Saige Rice 1 4-4 6, Lexie Little 2 2-2 6, Megan Haley 1 0-0 3. 3-pt goals — 6 (Bre Wallace 3, Brielle Baker 2, Megan Haley 1). FG Shooting — 16-44 (36.4 percent). Rebounds — 39 (Cammy Rutherford 11, Brielle Baker 9, Lexie Little 4, three with 3). Assists — 11 (Cammy Rutherford 3, Bre Wallace 3, Lexie Little 2, Saige Rice 2). Steals — 5 (Cammy Rutherford 2, three with 1). Team fouls —18. Fouled out — Brielle Baker.

Cl (46)  3 17 10 16

Cr (50) 19 8 11 12

Junior varsity

The Creston junior varsity girls won comfortably over Clarke Saturday 51-18.

Three Panthers tallied double figures, as Megan Haley’s 12 led the way. Cayla Maitlen and Kara Kinsella also scored 10 apiece.

What was just a 9-5 advantage after a quarter turned into a 20-5 lead at the half.

Cl: Scoring — Coraima Corona 5, Cady Crawford 5, Diana Sagastizado 4, Caitlin Clark 4,

Cr: Scoring — Megan Haley 12, Kara Kinsella 10, Cayla Maitlen 10, Kesia Stewart 7, Heylee Shields 4, Grace Root 4, Bre Ross 1.