Bulldogs cap doubleheader sweep over Comets with double OT win

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

ALGONA — A possession into the first overtime period against Algona on the road Saturday, things couldn’t have taken a much worse turn for Charles City.

Comet senior Chase Low, who was leading all scorers at the time, was whistled for an offensive foul — his fifth.

Still, the Comets were able to keep the Bulldogs on a leash in the added period, limiting them to 4 points and forcing a second OT period with the score locked at 67.

Algona was able to take advantage of several turnovers, turning them into instant points on the way to taking a 6-point lead. But Charles City rallied back as Jose Hernandez’s left-handed “tear-drop” 8-feet from the basket tied it at 76.

Algona, whose mantra is “Find a Way to Win”, was willing to employ a high weave to run off nearly all of the 1:20 left in the sixth period for a shot to win it or to head into a third OT period.

With 4 seconds left, Bulldog freshman Alex Manske was true on a 3-pointer along the baseline that proved to be the difference in a belated 79-76 final.

Manske’s 16 points led the Bulldogs, who trailed 37-27 at halftime.

Algona was able to catch the Comets when Low got into foul trouble.

With 3:44 left in regulation, Low picked up his fourth foul which resulted in a 3-point play putting the Bulldogs up 51-50.

With Low being substituted in and out of the game, and then later when he was disqualified, Hernandez picked up the slack offensively for Charles City while compiling a game-high as well as career-high 27 points.

Low scored 24 and grabbed nine rebounds.

Comet senior Mario Hoefer had 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots for Charles City (1-2), who will host Iowa Falls-Alden on Tuesday.

* In the previous girls game during the afternoon varsity doubleheader, it looked as if it was going to be a one-sided affair in favor of the home team.

The Bulldogs took a 24-11 lead into halftime, and by the way they clamped down on the Comets in the first two quarters, the 24 points they already scored seemed to be enough to win.

But in the second half, Charles City tightened the screws defensively and found its range from beyond the 3-point arc to make a game out of it and pull within a couple of possessions midway through the fourth quarter.

But size matters, especially in the post, as the Bulldog tandem of Lauren McLaughlin and A’Lailah Perry reasserted themselves in the paint while helping Algona hold off the upstart Comets 46-39.

McLaughlin had a game-high 16 points; Perry scored 10 and grabbed a game-high eight rebounds — four offensive.

Senior Lydia Staudt had 15 points, six rebounds and five steals for Charles City (0-3).

The Comets shot better than 46 % beyond the arc with Madison Lensing hitting 2 of 3 attempts, Ava Ellis hitting 2 of 5, Lydia Staudt going 1 of 3 and Lauren Staudt connecting on her only attempt.

Charles City will be back in action Friday (Dec. 3) for an away Northeast Iowa Conference game against Decorah in the first game of another varsity doubleheader.

Girls Varsity

ALGONA 46, CHARLES CITY 39

Scoring by Periods

CC 5 6 14 14 — 39

AG 11 13 8 14 — 46

CHARLES CITY — Madison Lensing 6, Lydia Staudt 15, Lauren Staudt 3, Alex Wohlers 4, Hannah Hoffman 4, Delaney Ruzicka 1, Ava Ellis 8

Boy Varsity

ALGONA 79,
CHARLES CITY 76 (2 OT)

Scoring by Periods

CC 16 21 10 16 4 9 — 76

AG 13 14 18 18 4 12 — 79

CHARLES CITY — Jack Hanson 4, Jose Hernandez 27, Brennan Schmidt 3, Mario Hoefer 13, Chase Low 24, Kayden Kasemeier 1, Drew Martin 4