Start not ideal as Bulldogs fall short of sharing NCC title

CLEAR LAKE – The then-No. 15 ranked in Class 3A Bulldog girls’ basketball team knew that winning against Clear Lake meant a share of the North Central Conference title with the Lions.

That was what made the visitors’ start so disappointing as the fourth-ranked Lions rolled out to a 20-5 lead after the first quarter and turned in the 68-45 win to take the title out-right.

“We didn’t defend in the first quarter,” Bulldog head coach Miranda Valley. “We didn’t, I would say and think that they are a good defensive team, now they had some moments where they took over the game, but we didn’t defend in the first quarter, didn’t get back on defense.

“They started out hot and we didn’t. We looked nervous and it didn’t happen.”

Taking a 46-18 deficit into halftime, the Bulldogs came out and out-scored the Lions 16-7 in the third quarter, but it was too much of an uphill to climb.

A lot of pressure was on the shoulders of the Bulldogs knowing they needed to win to at least clinch a share of the NCC.

“We set goals and I think they got (swept into it),” Valley said. “We tried to keep it low-key and not talk about it a whole lot, that way we could come out relaxed and just play basketball, but I thought we looked nervous and like the team that had everything to lose and we did. Either way, they (the Lions) had a share of the title and it was wrapped up. We were the ones who were playing for a lot more. They looked a lot more relaxed.”

Lauren Meader had nine points at the half, but was held in check in the second half. Avery Hanson scored 10 after just three in the first half.

This game was a final tune-up for the Bulldogs, who dropped out of the rankings a day after the loss, before playing in the Class 3A regional that looks favorable for Valley and her team.

“It starts with Iowa Falls,” Valley said. “We can’t look past Iowa Falls. We have to play…take how we played against Algona on Friday night. I’m excited we played Algona and Clear Lake tonight, those are two competitive teams that made us better and exposed some areas of weakness that we need to get better at and we have three days to do that with Iowa Falls (on Saturday). The second half of the season starts then.”

Clear Lake 68, Bulldogs 45

Bulldogs (17-3, 11-3) –Kaci Arjes 3-4 0-0 7, Alana Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Lauren Meader 3-7 1-2 9, Maci Arjes 1-5 0-0 2, Calista Polk 3-10 0-0 8, Courtney Miller 2-8 0-2 5, Avery Hanson 3-10 4-10 10, Faith Grover 0-1 0-0 0, Briana Grover 1-8 2-9 4, Morgyn Anderson 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 16-57 7-23 45.

Clear Lake (19-2, 13-1)– Sara Faber 9-10 1-1 19, Julia Merfeld 0-4 0-0 0, Darby Dodd 3-6 3-3 10, Ali Maulsby 1-1 0-0 3, Lexi Fasbender 2-7 0-0 9, Chelsey Holck 2-6 1-2 6, Jaden Ainley 3-4 0-0 7, Emily Theiss 1-4 0-0 2, Layne Lester 0-2 1-2, 1, Kaitlyn Vander Ploeg 3-8 3-4 9, Ashlyn Fread 0-1 1-2 1, Zoe Fasbender 1-3 0-1 32, Taylor Krull 0-0 0-0 0, Jordan Mayland 0-0 0-0 0, Brooklynn Eden 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-56 10-15 68.

H-D               5   13   16   11      -   45

Cl. Lake     20   26     7   15      -   68

Three-point goals – H-D 6-22 (Meader 2-2, Polk 2-6, K. Arjes 1-1, Miller 1-5, F. Grover 0-1, B. Grover 0-2); CL 6-19 (L. Fasbender 3-7, Maulsby 1-1, Ainley 1-1, Dodd 1-3, Holck 0-1, Theiss 0-1, Lester 0-1, Fread 0-1, Z. Fasbender 0-1, Merfeld 0-2). Rebounds– H-D 31, 12 off., 19 def. (K. Arjes 9, Hanson 7, Meader 4, Polk 3, Miller 3, B. Grover 2, Anderson 2, Johnson); CL 43, 12 off., 31 def. (Vander Ploeg 10, Faber 7, Holck 5, Z. Fasbender 4, Maulsby 3, Lester 3, Merfeld 2, Dodd 2, L. Fasbender, Theiss, Fread). Assists– H-D 9 (Meader 3, K. Arjes 2, M. Arjes 2, Polk, Miller); CL 18 (Faber 8, Merfeld 3, Maulsby 2, Dodd, Theiss, Lester, Fread). Steals– H-D 4 (Hanson 2, K. Arjes, Miller); CL 5 (Faber 2, Merfeld, Dodd, Maulsby). Blocks– H-D 1 (Miller); CL 10 (Vander Ploeg 6, Faber, Dodd, Holck, Eden). Total fouls– H-D 16, CL 16. Fouled out – None.