Go-Hawks top Comets 81-77 in double-overtime

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

WAVERLY — In a game in which they were notably cold from beyond the 3-point arc (2 of 21) and gave up too many layups, the Charles City Comets lost to Waverly-Shell Rock 81-77 in double-overtime in the latter game of Tuesday’s varsity basketball doubleheader hosted by the Go-Hawks

Comet junior Keenan Wiley’s successful drive to the hole tied the game at 61 just as the LED strip lining the backboard — liken to Christmas lights in place this season at most schools to accompany the newly installed shot clock — signaled the end of regulation.

With 6.7 seconds left in the first overtime period and the Comets up by 2 (69-67), the Go-Hawks — from a play drawn up during a timeout — were able to spring sophomore Luke Franzell open along the baseline from a backdoor screen allowing him to score a Christmas-light-beating layup of his own.

Or did he?

Charles City’s bench protested that Franzell’s shot didn’t leave his hand ahead of the buzzer/light. But the three-man officiating crew ruled in unison in favor of the Go-Hawks.

Soon after, Franzell hit a 3-point field goal — he was 3 of 4 from that range during the extended game — to help put WSR up by 5 midway through the second OT period.

Franzell had 21 points to lead the victors. Cole Marsh added 18 for WSR (2-2, 2-0 Northeast Iowa Conference).

It was anyone’s game going into the sixth period, but several of Charles City’s go-to scorers began to drop like flies due to five-foul disqualifications.

First, Wiley’s night ended early in the second OT period when he was whistled for his fifth foul trying to go over a Go-Hawk player for an offensive rebound.

Soon after, a Go-Hawk ball handler tried to squeeze his way out of a trap along the sideline and got tripped up and fell to the floor. Comet senior Chase Low was in the vicinity, a bad place to be as he got whistled for his fifth foul.

The bloodletting continued with junior Jeb Wandro, Charles City’s resident long-range threat, fouling out with about a minute remaining in the second OT period with the Comets down by multiple possessions.

Low scored a game-high 29 points before disqualification. Charles City junior Kam Mestas scored 22 points — his highest total since joining the team this season — and Wiley had a 13-13 night in points and game-high rebounds for the Comets (4-2, 1-1), who are — incidentally — undefeated in games that don’t go into double-overtime.

Charles City’s other loss was another six-period-setback — its home-opener against Clear Lake.

* For those who have a hard time waking up early in the morning, they can use Charles City’s girls team for inspiration.

After losing big to the Go-Hawks (79-18) in the first game of Tuesday’s varsity DH, the Comets girls stuck around to cheer the boys team through double-overtime.

At the end of the long night, Comet co-head coach David Rottinghaus remarked to his team, “Six o’clock is going to come early for us” — the Comet girls have before-school practices.

The Comet girls acknowledged the statement with a group “hurrah” like they couldn’t wait for the forthcoming dawn.

It’s going to take that type of commitment to turn the program around. But as of now, Charles City is still looking for its first win of the season.

It wasn’t going to happen against the Go-Hawks (4-1, 2-0 NEIC), who were led by open-court finisher Brenna Bodensteiner (17 points) and post enforcer Katelyn Eggena (16 points, 10 offensive rebounds).

Senior Delaney Ruzicka had 10 points for the Comets (0-6, 0-2), who will have three more chances in varsity doubleheaders against Crestwood (Dec. 16 on the road) and New Hampton (Dec. 20 at home) and a home contest against Riceville (Dec. 22) to pick up a win before the holiday break.

Girls Varsity

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 79, CHARLES CITY 18

Scoring By Quarters

CHARLES CITY 5 7 2 4 — 18

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 21 23 26 9 — 79

RECORDS — Charles City 0-6 (0-2 Northeast Iowa Conference), Waverly-Shell Rock 4-1 (2-0)

Boys Varsity

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 81, CHARLES CITY 77 (2 OT)

Scoring By Periods

CHARLES CITY 13 12 17 19 8 8 — 77

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 18 9 16 18 8 12 — 81

Individual Scoring

CHARLES CITY — Jack Hanson 4, Brennan Schmidt 3, Keenan Wiley 13, Chase Low 29, Kam Mestas 22, Jeb Wandro 4, Drew Martin 2.

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK — Noah Franzell 13, Cole Marsh 18, Sam Roose 8, Luke Franzell 21, Benny Ramker 14, Clay Draper 7.

RECORDS — Charles City 4-2 (1-1 Northeast Iowa Conference), Waverly-Shell Rock 2-2 (2-0).