Bulldogs force multiple turnovers to top Bearcats

HAMPTON — North Butler had just pulled to within a pair of points (28-26) early in the second half of this non-conference tilt against the Bulldog girls’ basketball team.

From there, coach Miranda Valley’s squad answered, forced four straight turnovers and in just a little more than three minutes’ time, had a 42-26 lead.

The Bulldogs went on to extend its run to 23 points before North Butler could answer in the eventual 67-37 win at Hampton.

“We had a great third quarter, that’s what I know,” Valley said. “Saturday games are hard. We played hard the last four games, looked tired and didn’t quite have the energy that I was hoping for, but came out in the third quarter and made adjustments.”

This after the Bulldogs started the game forcing numerous turnovers and scoring off of them, taking a 15-11 lead following the first eight minutes.

After that, North Butler switched its defense and made it a closer game into the second half.

“I really like man defense, but I’m finding this team likes zone better,” North Butler coach Carrie Eiklenborg said. “I think you will be seeing more zone from this team as the season goes on.”

But the pressure that the Bulldogs started with returned and they scored off of all but one of the seven second-half turnovers.

“And they were making every shot possible,” Eiklenborg said. “That’s a different style of play than what we’re used and definitely from what we play. Very aggressive, very handsy and that got to our girls a little bit. I think they held their composure pretty well, though.”

Something that isn’t secret is the Bulldogs’ height disadvantage, which is why Valley’s team employs the defense it does.

“We’ve got to create turnovers and we didn’t create turnovers in the second quarter and I wasn’t quite sure what defense was going to work best for us,” Valley said. “I just think we didn’t quite have the energy that we’ve had.

“They play physical and so that kind of got of us out of our (game). We play quick and they play physical and they did a better of doing that in the second quarter and then switching to a zone kind of made us stagnant and we didn’t get great looks and were shooting threes and weren’t hitting, and so the second quarter was hard for us. Then we made adjustments and did well.”

Lauren Meader, who had seven points at halftime, led all scorers with 17 points.

North Butler was led by Meg Thompson’s 12 points, six in each half.

What marred an already run-away game further was an injury to North Butler senior Kristin Dralle, who sustained a gash to the inside of her mouth.

 “I think she’s okay,” Eiklenborg said. “She took a pretty hard knock to the head during warm-ups and then a similar injury here (in the second half). I think she’ll be all right. Keep an eye on her. We recommended that (she have a concussion test). All of her teeth were intact, though. You saw the bloody mouth and teeth. But the teeth weren’t wiggly.”

Improving to 5-0, the Bulldogs have a pair of key conference games at home against Humboldt (2-2) and Webster City (2-3) this week.

They were one of only 27 (all classes) unbeaten girls’ teams in the state after Saturday, eight among Class 3A, and average 61.6 points per game, good for No. 29 overall and sixth in 3A.

“A couple tough conference games (this week),” Valley said. “They will be at home. I don’t think so (have a target on our back). I think teams knew what we had coming in; we’re probably putting up more points than what teams would think that we would, but I hope we don’t have a target on our back, we’ll just keep flying under the radar.

Meanwhile, the Bearcats (1-4) have had a much harder time of things to start the season and it doesn’t get easier. They average 34.2 points per game.

“We’ve had a tough go right here,” Eiklenborg said. “(Friday) was (Class 1A) No. 10 St. Ansgar, I was really happy with how we played against them. The girls played really hard and kept it under 20 (point margin), so I was happy. Obviously, this was a tough game and next we get to play Osage, they are No. 4 in 2A. So, you know that is going to be a big challenge and it’s the opening of their brand-new gym.

“We get to finish before the break at Janesville, so we’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing, get after it with fundamentals.”

Bulldogs 67, North Butler 37

North Butler (1-4, 1-3)– Carly Adelmund 0-2 1-2 1, Haley Freesemann 2-8 0-0 4, Meg Thompson 4-12 3-4 12, Mady Klingenborg 2-5 4-5 9, Madison Clipperton 1-2 0-0 3, Maddy Shultz 0-1 0-0 0, Haylee Niemann 0-3 0-0 0, Sydney Eiklenborg 1-6 1-3 3, Kristin Dralle 1-2 3-4 5. Totals 11-41 12-18 37.

Bulldogs (5-0, 2-0) –Kaci Arjes 4-7 1-1 10, Alana Johnson 0-2 0-0 0, Lauren Meader 7-13 2-2 17, Maci Arjes 3-6 0-0 7, Calista Polk 3-9 0-1 7, Courtney Miller 3-11 1-2 9, Avery Hanson 3-12 2-2 9, Faith Grover 0-2 0-0 0, Briana Grover 2-3 2-2 4, Morgyn Anderson 2-2 0-0 4, Skyler Valley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-67 6-10 67.

N. Butler    11   11     6     9      -   37

Bulldogs    15   13   24   15      -   67

Three-point goals– NB 3-9 (Klingenborg 1-2, Clipperton 1-2, Thompson 1-3, Freesemann 0-2); H-D 7-37 (Miller 2-10, K. Arjes 1-4, M. Arjes 1-4, Hanson 1-4, Meader 1-5, Polk 1-7, F. Grover 0-1, Johnson 0-2). Rebounds– NB 28, 3 off., 25 def., (Niemann 5, Klingenborg 4, Clipperton 4, Team 4, Freesemann 3, Eiklenborg 3, Dralle 3, Thompson, Shultz); H-D 37, 16 off., 21 def. (K. Arjes 7, B. Grover 6, M. Arjes 5, Miller 5, Hanson 5, Anderson 4, Meader 2, Polk 2, Valley). Assists– NB 8 (Clipperton 4, Thompson 2, Freesemann, Niemann); H-D 12 (K. Arjes 2, Johnson 2, Miller 2, Hanson 2, M. Arjes, Polk, B. Grover, Valley). Steals– NB 7 (Clipperton 3, Freesemann 2, Klngenborg 2); H-D 19 (Meader 4, Polk 4, Hanson 4, K. Arjes 3, Johnson, M. Arjes, Miller, B. Grover). Blocks– NB 2 (Clipperton, Dralle); H-D 2 (M. Arjes, F. Grover). Total fouls– NB 13, H-D 17. Fouled out – NB, None; H-D, None.