Huskies hustle past Saints

Defense helps N-P boys erase early deficit;
SA girls win big

By John Burbridge, sports@charlescitypress.com

SAINT ANSGAR — You hear it from coaches and fans frustrated when their team yields too many offensive rebounds.

“You’ve got to box out! … Put a body on somebody!”

Sometimes, though, you’ve just got to go get the ball.

Nashua-Plainfield freshman Austin Bienemann doesn’t yet have the girth for opponents to put a body on. Maybe that’s why Saint Ansgar had a hard time keeping him off the offensive glass during the Huskies’ 52-45 Top of Iowa-East Conference road win Monday night.

Bienemann’s put-back bucket drew the Huskies within 1 (23-22) late in the second quarter after trailing by as many as 9.

Later in the third quarter, Bienemann hit a 3-point shot to give Nashua-Plainfield its first lead of the game before another put-back by Bienemann help ed extend the Huskies’ lead to 5 (37-32) going into the final quarter.

Saint Ansgar later tied it at 43 with a 3-point shot from post player Nicholas Bork, but Nashua-Plainfield immediately answered on the ensuing possession with senior Dayton Hansen draining a 3, which put the Huskies up for good.

Hansen had three 3-pointers for the night while leading the Huskies with 15 points. Bienemann also reached double-figure scoring with 12 points. Dawson Schmitt came off the bench to score 11 for Nashua-Plainfield, which improved to 3-2 overall and 2-2 in the TOIE.

Aside from the offensive rebounds and 3-point baskets, it was Nashua-Plainfield’s defense that got it back in the game when the Saints seemed to be on verge of complete control early. Steals and forced turnovers by Isaac Chambers, Luke Cerwinske and Johnathon Krull as well as from the rest of N-P’s defense helped turn the tide midway through the first half before later finishing the game off.

Ethan Kirschgatter had a game-high 21 points, and Collin Kramer scored 14 for Saint Ansgar (2-2, 2-2).

* In the varsity girls game, Saint Ansgar got 17 points from freshman guard Hali Anderson and 15 from senior forward Elizabeth Jenkins while defeating the Huskies, 64-32.

For the Saints, the win evened their overall record at 3-3 as well as notching their first conference win in four tries.

Nashua-Plainfield senior Britney Holthaus had 17 points for the Huskies (0-6, 0-4).