A five-point first quarter put Okoboji in an early hole against Rock Valley on Friday night, a deficit that translated into a 50-34 loss for the Pioneers on their home floor. The two teams combined to attempt 78 free throws, converting 30 of them. Hannah Marsh was the lone player for Okoboji to reach double-figures, scoring eleven points. Josie Godfredson notched a dozen to pace the Rockets, who improve to 2-5 in the Siouxland Conference. The Pioneers fall to 2-4 and welcome Boyden-Hull to Milford on Monday.
The rest of the Siouxland schedule ended with Sibley-Ocheyedan taking down West Lyon, 48-37. MOC-Floyd Valley dominated Sheldon, 64-24. Central Lyon topped Boyden-Hull, 45-29. And George-Little Rock upended Sioux Center by five, 42-37.
A 13-2 run over a three minute stretch to end the third quarter by Western Christian ultimately handed Spirit Lake a ten-point setback, 68-58, in a Lakes Conference matchup of league leaders. That run broke a 40-all tie. Spirit Lake had a balanced attack, with four players reaching double-digits. Two of those players finished with double-doubles, as KJ Veldman tallied 17 points and eleven rebounds, and Bailey Loveall registered eleven points, twelve boards. Cara Vale ended with twelve points and Whitney Berkland had eleven. Western Christian’s Brooke Wolterstorff poured in a game-high 23 points, followed by Kim Kroeze’s 16 points. The Wolfpack remain unblemished at 4-0 in conference. Spirit Lake drops to 3-1 and won’t play again until the new year, when they host undefeated Estherville-Lincoln Central on January 3.
Click here to hear the postgame interview with coach Rick Reinking.
Emmetsburg wasted little time separating from Storm Lake, building a 14-0 first quarter lead and extending the advantage into a 56-19 victory. Paige Naig dropped in 22 points for the E-Hawks, who sit at 2-2 in the Lakes. They travel out of conference to battle Okoboji next week Thursday, a contest that will air on Q102.
The second-ranked Midgets of ELC remained perfect with a 64-44 win over Cherokee, while LeMars snuck past Spencer, 40-38.
Harris-Lake Park suffered its first Cornbelt Conference setback, a 48-27 home loss to North Sentral Kossuth/Armstrong-Ringsted. The Lady Wolves are now 2-1 in league matchups, while the Eagles are 4-0. Harris-Lake Park plays at Clay Central-Everly on Tuesday, which will be broadcast on Q102.
Also in the Cornbelt, West Bend-Mallard beat CWL, 37-27.
The War Eagle Conference slate saw Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn fall for the second-straight game, losing at sixth-ranked LeMars Gehlen Catholic, 48-37. Meanwhile, South O’Brien couldn’t keep up with Unity Christian, taking a 65-46 road loss.
Elsewhere, Sioux Central earned a 41-point victory over Pocahontas, 62-21. North of the border, Martin County West dropped a 49-40 game to Minnesota Valley Lutheran. St. Peter downed Fairmont, 57-46, and Southwest Star Concept fell short against Ellsworth, 47-41.
