Saints beat Comets, 38-32

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

ST. ANSGAR — Olyvia Zuspan may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

St. Ansgar sophomore guard Jadyn Anderson, with a quick first-step left-handed dribble, was able to drive past the Charles City freshman during a tight, non-conference girls basketball game Saturday between two teams looking for their first win of the season.

While Anderson drove into the paint, it looked as if she tripped on another defender’s foot. But Zuspan got whistled for the foul — her fifth — and the Comets no longer had their primary 3-point shooting threat for the rest of the game.

“When the ref blows the whistle, it’s going to be a foul,” said Charles City head coach Danielle Rippentrop, who had no complaints with the call. “You just got to play the game.”

The Saints went on to take a 36-28 lead with a little more than a minute remaining in regulation. Comet senior Kelsi Crooks managed to score two inside buckets on consecutive possessions to draw Charles City within 4 (36-32), but the Saints held the Comets off in a 38-32 final.

The Comets took a 6-4 lead after the first quarter and led 9-6 midway through the second quarter before the Saints took a 14-11 at the half.

Zuspan, who scored 5 of her team-leading 8 points in the first half, picked up her fourth foul a little more than a minute into the second half.

When Comets Kara Hoffman and Payton Reams hit 3-pointers on consecutive possession, it tied the game at 18.

Anderson’s 3-point play gave the Saints a 23-18 lead, but then Charles City went on a 6-0 run capped by Crooks’ 10-footer which put the Comets in front, 24-23, with 6:15 left in regulation.

St. Ansgar eventually regained the lead for good when Elizabeth Jenkins’s put-back bucket made the score 26-25.

Anderson led all scorers with 17 points, Jenkins added 14 for the Saints (1-3).

“We’re continuing to make progress,” Rippentrop said after her team’s closest brush with victory. “We like to continue to do so and build some momentum going into the holiday break.”

The Comets’ next game is Friday at Oelwein as part of a girls-boys basketball varsity double header. Then they don’t play again until next year — or for 18 days — starting up again with an away game at Waverly-Shell Rock.

“We’ll be practicing and working hard during the break,” Rippentrop said. “We’ll be tweaking some things on offense and defense.”

The Friday before, the Comets hosted Crestwood, which continued to roll over the competition with a 74-35 Northeast Iowa Conference victory.

Cadet junior Shannon Pisney score a game-high 22 points — 17 of which came in the first half. Sharon Goodman (12 points) and Ellie Friesen (11) were also in double-figures for the Crestwood (5-0, 2-0 Northeast Iowa Conference).

Crooks had 12 points and Zuspan scored 9 for the Comets (0-5, 0-1).

CRESTWOOD 74, CHARLES CITY 35

Scoring By Quarters

Crestwood 21 22 14 17 — 74

Charles City 8 9 4 14 — 35

CRESTWOOD — Shannon Pisney 22, Sharon Goodman 12, Ellie Friesen 11, Brynn Bodermann 9, Kaylee Thomas 9, Emily Friesen 9, Lauren Reicks 2.

CHARLES CITY — Kelsi Crooks 12, Olyvia Zuspan 9, Gen Wandro 7, Jodie Sindlinger 3, Payton Reams 2, Cinnamon Evans 2.

SAINT ANSGAR 38, CHARLES CITY 32

Scoring By Quarters

Charles City 6 5 9 12 — 32

St. Ansgar 4 10 9 15 — 38

CHARLES CITY — Lynn Hoeft 2, Kelsi Crooks 7, Payton Reams 5, Kara Hoffman 5, Olyvia Zuspan 8, Gen Wandro 2, Jodie Sindlinger

SAINT ANSGAR — Jadyn Anderson 17, Molly Jenkins 5, Hannah Patterson 2, Elizabeth Jenkins 14.