Comet boys bounce back against Riverhawks after road loss to Wolves

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

WAUKON — There was an adage often spewed by a legendary basketball coach that advised “play the type of defense that makes your opponent forget about your offense.”

Charles City’s boys team doesn’t make it easy to forget about its offense. The Comets have so many weapons at their disposal that mismatches at more than one position are nearly inevitable.

But while trying to deal with the Comets’ first-step explosiveness, above-the-rim play and long-range threats, you may forget that they’re more than capable of shutting you down with their long-limbed and anticipation-opportune defense.

That’s what the Waukon Indians found out last Friday while hosting a varsity doubleheader against their Northeast Iowa Conference foes.

The Comets limited the Indians to 2 points in the first quarter and only three field goals for the entire first half on the way to cruising to a 67-41 road victory.

Comet junior Kam Mestas scored a game-high 20 points — much of which came from point-blank shooting as Waukon had no answer to counter his half-court busting forays to the rim.

Keenan Wiley scored 10 and Brennan Schmidt added 8 which included a pair of 3-point field goals for Comets.

The following afternoon, Charles City was held to its lowest offensive output of the season while losing on the road to Waterloo West 52-40.

Chase Low and Keenan Wiley scored 15 and 11 points respectively to lead the Comets.

* Charles City’s girls team lost to Waukon 61-24 in the first game of Friday’s DH.

Comet senior Ava Ellis scored 12 points to lead Charles City (0-9).

* Two days removed from scoring their lowest point total of the season against a very physical Waterloo West team, and then finding themselves down by 4 at halftime during Monday’s home game against Mason City, the Comets took control in the second half while out-scoring the Riverhawks 38-21 on the way to winning 64-51.

Kam Mestas scored 12 of his game-high 19 points in the second half to help lead the winners.

Chase Low scored 11 points; and Jack Hanson, Brennan Schmidt and Keenan Wiley all were on the cusp of reaching double-figure scoring with 9 points apiece for the Comets (7-3).

Jess Cornick and Kale Hobart each scored 11 for the Riverhawks (5-3).

Boys Varsity

CHARLES CITY 67, WAUKON 41

Scoring By Quarters

CC 16 14 22 15 — 67

WA 2 16 12 11 — 41

Individual Scoring

CHARLES CITY — Jack Hanson 6, Kaden Buseman 2, Brennan Schmidt 8, Keenan Wiley 10, Chase Low 7, Kayden Kasemeier 6, Kam Mestas 20, Jeb Wandro 6, Drew Martin 2.

WAUKON — Kole McCormick 10, Noah Hatlan 2, Nash Pearson 14, Mason Wasson 7, Colton O’Neill 3, Ethan Kelly 3, Jaxon Brinkman 2.

WATERLOO WEST 52,
CHARLES CITY 40

Scoring By Quarters

CC 10 9 10 11 — 40

WW 14 16 9 13 — 52

Individual Scoring

CHARLES CITY — Jack Hanson 8, Keenan Wiley 11, Chase Low 15, Kam Mestas 4, Jeb Wandro 2.

WATERLOO WEST — So’Marion Anderson 17, Dayton Bruce 7, Jahil Manago 5, Keadyn Leiss-Demus 13, Keishaun Pendleton 6, Nasir Kuykendall 2, Joseph Hudson 2.

CHARLES CITY 64, MASON CITY 51

Scoring By Quarters

MC 17 13 7 14 — 51

CC 15 11 18 20 — 64

MASON CITY — Tate Millsap 9, Ethen Roberts 5, Davion Maxwell 9, Kale Hobart 11, Jess Cornick 11, Kaden Tyler 1, David Willemsen 5.

CHARLES CITY — Jack Hanson 9, Brennan Schmidt 9, Keenan Wiley 9, Chase Low 11, Kam Mestas 19, Jeb Wandro 4, Drew Martin 3.

RECORDS — Charles City 7-3, Mason City 5-3.

Girls Varsity

WAUKON 61, CHARLES CITY 24

Scoring By Quarters

CC 6 6 5 7 — 24

WA 25 11 17 6 — 61