MOUNT AYR – The Central Decatur girls improved to 12-0 this season, winning over Mount Ayr 69-41.
The Cardinals retained the lead from the very beginning, scoring on their first posession and going on an 11-0 run.
The run was snapped by the Raiderettes’ Sam Stewart, but the Cardinals layed it on as they were soon up 19-4.
From there, it was an uphill battle for Mount Ayr as it struggled to follow the gameplan, according to head coach Thad Streit.
“Coming into today I felt that if we kept it close we would have a chance late in the game, but we didn’t listen to the gameplan,” said Streit. “We hurried shots, we got into a race with them that we couldn’t keep up. ...When we’re not working together, it’s not going to come together.”
Halftime had the Cardinals ahead 39-21, enough to be within comeback distance for Mount Ayr. Emma Atwood, a major focal point of the Cardinals offense, was limited to only nine points in the first half.
“What we were trying to do defensively was to work in a way that we stymied them a little bit,” said Streit. “They were trying to post her up and get some looks and we were taking that away.”
Atwood finished with 16 points.
The second half saw Maddie Stewart get to the line often, converting on five of eight free throw attempts, all coming in the fourth quarter of play.
Sam Stewart also got in on the scoring action, getting three buckets in the second half. Sam Stewart finished with 19 points, a team high.
The Raiderettes outscored the Cardinals in the fourth quarter 10-7, making up ground in the final minutes of play.
UP NEXT – Mount Ayr (7-5, 6-2 in Pride of Iowa) will hit the road to face Murray (9-4, 7-1) on Monday.
Central Decatur 69, Mount Ayr 41
CENTRAL DECATUR (69) — 25 14 23 7
MOUNT AYR (41) — 10 11 10 10
CENTRAL DECATUR (FG FT PTS) — Totals — 27 4-9 69. Erica Kauzlarich 6 0-0 16, Emma Atwood 8 4-7 16, Alli Masters 6 0-0 15, Abbie Ridgway 4 0-0 11, Alania Applegate 3 0-2 7, Riley Bell 2 0-0 4. 3-point goals – 11 (Kauzlarich 4, Masters 3, Ridgway 3, Applegate 1). Team fouls — 13. Fouled out — None.
MOUNT AYR (FG FT PTS) — Totals —14 10-16 41. Sam Stewart 9 1-2 19, Maddie Stewart 0 6-10 6, Kierston Klommhaus 2 0-0 4, Channler Henle 1 1-2 4, MaKayla Jones 1 0-0 3, Jaycee Knight 1 0-0 3, Gracie Mobley 0 2-2 2. 3-point goals – 3 (Jones 1, Henle 1, Knight 1). Rebounds – 19 (Stewart 5, Knight 4, Mobley 4, Henle 3, Stewart 1, Klommhaus 1, Rachael Sobotka 1. Assists – 9 (Knight 3, Stewart 2, Henle 2, Klommhaus 1, Stewart 1). Steals – 11 (Stewart 4, Henle 3, Klommhaus 2, Stewart 2). Team fouls — 10. Fouled out — None.
