Redemption achieved for girls in win over Mount Ayr

If you’ve heard the adage “when the going gets tough, the tough get going,” Nodaway Valley’s girls basketball team embodied it last week.

The now 14th-ranked Wolverines (Class 2A) endured their second four-game week of the season and won at every opportunity, earning road victories over East Union and Class 2A No. 15 Mount Ayr, a home win against nonconference opponent Panorama and another road win over Pride of Iowa Conference foe Wayne.

Nodaway Valley entered the week riding a 13-game winning streak, sporting an overall record of 13-1 and a 9-1 mark in conference play.

The 73-71 win at Mount Ayr last Tuesday was, by many accounts, the highlight of the week as the Wolverines avenged a 10-point loss to the Raiderettes that occurred on the opening night of the season and is still their only blemish.

In the road win, Eisbach became the career scoring leader, topping Lindsey Davis’ mark of 1,908 points. She entered this week five points away from becoming the 24th Iowa Girl in history to score more than 2,000 career points.

Nodaway Valley led nearly the entire first half, taking a 17-11 advantage at the end of the first quarter and extending it to 44-31 by halftime.

The Wolverines led by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter, but Mount Ayr chipped away and took the first of two late leads on an Izzy Gilbertson basket with 1:27 remaining to go ahead 68-66.

With her team trailing, senior Izzy Eisbach drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key out of a timeout with 50 seconds left to give Nodaway Valley a one-point edge.

The Raiderettes answered moments later, regaining the lead at 71-69 on a 3-pointer by Jaylee Shaffer from the right elbow.

Emma Boswell tied the game at 71-71 with a putback off a teammate’s miss with 28.3 seconds remaining.

Eisbach was fouled and went to the free-throw line with 7.2 seconds left, calmly sinking both attempts to secure the victory after the Wolverines gained possession following a confusing inbounds sequence nine seconds earlier.

The win not only salvaged a season split between the two teams but also put Nodaway Valley in a two-way tie for the conference lead, a position it still held entering this week.

Other wins during the week included a 72-23 victory last Monday at East Union, a 61-43 home win Thursday over Panorama and a 72-44 road win Friday at Wayne.

Eisbach scored 33 points at East Union, while Ella Boswell and Emma Boswell each added 12. Eisbach also recorded nine steals, and Emma Boswell posted a double-double with 10 rebounds.

Freshman forward Abby Nelson led the Wolverines against Panorama with 19 points, while Emma Boswell scored 18 and Eisbach finished with 13.

Eisbach poured in 35 points against Wayne, and Emma Boswell added 17.

The Wolverines returned to action Tuesday at home against Lenox as part of a two-game week. Friday is senior night against Southeast Warren.

After that, Nodaway Valley will host Southwest Valley next Tuesday, Jan. 27, travel to Martensdale-St. Marys on Friday and host nonconference Earlham on Saturday, Jan. 31.