Comets defeat Lynx 65-58 in semis; to face W-SR in final

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — There was a sense of foreboding while watching Webster City senior Cameron Moen drill a string of 3-pointers while completing a semicircle path along the arc during pre-game warmups.

He never missed. The ball didn’t even touch the rim.

Shortly after tip-off of Thursday’s Class 3A Substate 2 semifinal against the hosting Charles City Comets, the Lynx guard was still locked in as he connected for four more 3-pointers — and these counted on the scoreboard — to help give Webster City a 27-23 halftime lead.

But the Comets came out of the locker room with the urgency to conjure up one of their best second-half defensive efforts of the season and took control of the game on way to winning, 65-58, for their 18th victory of the season paired with just 4 losses.

Charles City advances to the substate final, which will take place at a neutral site — Denver High School — 7 p.m. Monday (Feb. 26) where it will face Waverly-Shell Rock, which defeated Crestwood, 52-41, in the bracket’s other semifinal.

It will be the rubber game between the two rivals, who split the regular-season series.

Comet junior Jack Molstead scored a game-high 20 points. Mike Cranshaw had 17 points and Noah Schlader scored 11 for the Comets, who are one step away from making their first state tournament appearance since 1956 when they lost to Burlington, 65-52, in the quarterfinals.

Charles City sophomore Bradley Andrews just missed reaching a double-double as he scored 9 points and had his best night of the season crashing the boards as he unofficially led all rebounders.

Comet senior Cade Hemesath, playing with a brace after an injured knee sidelined him for the regular-season finale loss to Decorah that cost Charles City a share of the Northeast Conference title, had just 5 points in an “iron-unkind” type of night. But Hemesath was able to record two blocks in the latter part of the game against Webster City’s 6-foot-6 post player Henry Hoverten that helped keep the Comets in front after they had taken the lead.

A pair of 3-pointers by Moen and Noah McKinney gave the Lynx an early 6-2 lead before another trey by Moen extended the advantage to 16-7.

Andrews’ 3-pointer capped a 7-0 run to start the second half to put the Comets up 30-27. Charles City would never trail or be tied again, and eventually attained a double-digit lead (60-50) when Schlader, while inbounding the ball under Webster City’s basket, connected with Cranshaw on a “post pattern” after Cranshaw broke away from the Lynx’ backcourt pressure before making the over-the-shoulder catch and finish at the hole.

Moen, often “dogged” in the second half by Cranshaw, who chased him from his spot-ups and forced him to put the ball on the floor instead of through the net, finished with 15 points. Hoverten and McKinney scored 14 and 10, respectively, for Webster City (14-9).

Class 3A Substate 2 Semifinal

CHARLES CITY 65, DENVER 58

Scoring By Quarters

DENVER 16 11 9 22 — 58

CHARLES CITY 16 7 21 21 — 65

DENVER (58)

Noah McKinney 10, Cameron Moen 15, Jordan Tanner 6, Tyler Bultena 5, Dylan Steen 6, Henry Hoverten 14.

CHARLES CITY (65)

Jack Molstead 20, Mike Cranshaw 17, Bradley Andrews 9, Noah Schlader 11, Cade Hemesath 5, Colton Slinger 2, Marcus Cranshaw 1.