Shots don’t fall for Warhawks

SHEFFIELD – West Fork shot just 35 percent from the field in a 45-36 Top of Iowa cross-divisional loss to Forest City on Monday, Jan. 11.

Rylie Akins once again led the Warhawks off the bench with eight points as coach Rodney Huber’s team fell to 6-5 overall. Madisyn Bonner had eight points at halftime, but didn’t score again to match Akins.

“Defensively, we played pretty well,” Huber said. “Obviously, better in the first half than the second half. Offensively, we couldn’t get anything going.

“A lot of missed shots and on the defensive end in the first half they scored a lot of their baskets on second shots. That was the message to the girls (at half). The toughness aspect that we’re missing right now. If we can get that put together and get our shot, we’re going to be really good.”

Trailing just 24-23 at halftime, a spurt by Forest City leading scorer Shae Dillavou with three straight turnovers leading to three straight baskets for the 5-foot-10 junior. Dillavou finished with 18 points.

The Indians also benefitted from a lot of second-chance points.

“We can’t allow two-three-four-five shots (by our opponent),” Huber said. “We’ll be in trouble.”

Conversely, West Fork’s leading scorer, Emma Martinek struggled from the field, going 2-of-12 and finished with five points while in foul trouble. She picked up her third early in the third quarter and went to the bench and then was assessed with her fourth with 4 minutes, 11 seconds left in the game. However, she did not foul out.

“She only had five (points) and that was uncharacteristic of her,” Huber said. “She missed some shots that she (normally makes). She’s hard on herself, she knows she could have played better, should have played better being our best player. On the other hand, others have to step up, too. I thought Mak (Fessler) had a nice game, Bonner had a nice game, but others have to step up when somebody is struggling.”

Makenzie Fessler had a nice drive to the basket that made it 34-31 in the third quarter, but a basket and pair of free throws by Kaylee Miller, who scored 13, gave the Indians a 38-31 advantage heading to the final eight minutes of play.

Forest City improved to 9-4.

These games, though losses, should make West Fork better in the coming weeks as the Warhawks turn to the post-season.

“I think so,” Huber said of his team being battle-tested. “We’re still a really young team. I said to the girls in the locker room, ‘in order to take that next step we’ve got to knock off one of these upper-tier teams.’ We beat the teams in the middle of the conference, and the bottom of the conference and beat them handily, but we need to get a marquee win. Osage, St. Ansgar or Hampton-Dumont, maybe. We need to get a win against somebody that’s an upper-tier team.”

Forest City 45, West Fork 36

Forest City (9-4, 5-3)– Hannah Good 2-6 0-0 5, Ellie Caylor 2-10 2-4 6, Shae Dillavou 7 2-5 18, Emma Anderson 0-1 0-1 0, Kaylee Miller 4-9 4-6 13, Karly Lambert 0-0 0-0 0, Hannah Anderson 1-4 1-2 3. Totals 17-43 9-18 45.

West Fork (6-4, 6-2)– Makenzie Fessler 3-6 5-6 12, Maddie Hubka 0-3 0-1 0, Ellie Weaver 0-4 2-2 2, Madisyn Bonner 2-3 1-2 5, Emma Martinek 9-17 1-2 19, Rylie Akins 8-13 0-1 20, Keelee Sheriff 0-0 0-0 0, Mallery Meier 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-53 9-14 62.

Forest City  8   16   14     7      -   45

W. Fork        9   14     8     5      -   36

Three-point goals– FC 2-13 (Miller 1-2, Good 1-4, E. Anderson 0-1, Caylor 0-6); WF 4-16 (Akins 2-5, Hubka 1-4, Martinek 1-4, Fessler 0-3). Rebounds– FC 33 (Dillavou 9, Miller 7, Good 5, H. Anderson 5, Caylor 3, E. Anderson 2); WF 19 (Martinek 5, Fessler 4, Hubka 3, Sheriff 3, Bonner 2, Weaver, Akins). Assists– FC 7 (Miller 3, Caylor 2, Dillavou, E. Anderson); WF 10 (Fessler 3, Hubka 3, Martinek 2, Weaver, Akins). Steals– FC 10 (Caylor 3, Miller 3, Good 2, Dillavou, H. Anderson); WF 8 (Hubka 4, Weaver, Bonner, Martinek, Akins). Blocks– FC 3 (Good, Dillavou, Miller); WF, None. Total fouls – FC 13, WF 14. Fouled out – None.