Comets fall to streaking Indians 59-36

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Coming out of the locker room for the second half, the Charles City Comets girls basketball team displayed a higher intensity on defensive side of the court and found their shooting range at the other end while out-scoring the Class 3A-No. 15th ranked Waukon Indians 22-21 in the final 16 minutes of last Friday’s Northeast Iowa Conference matchup.

But it wasn’t enough to overcome a substantial first-half deficit as the Tribe won 59-36 for its eighth-straight victory.

Annika Heading scored 14 points, and Jayden Knox and Margaret Wacker each scored 11 while helping Waukon improve to 13-3 overall and 8-2 in the NEIC.

Comet junior Lydia Staudt scored a game-high 16 points which included three 3-point field goals. Ava Ellis also had three 3-pointers while scoring 9 points all in the second half for the Comets, who fell to 2-15 and 1-8.

* Charles City senior JJ Ritter scored a game-high and personal season-high 31 points, which included four 3-pointers and 7-of-8 free throw shooting, but it couldn’t prevent Waukon from sweeping the season series from the Comets in a 76-69 final, Friday at Waukon.

Braden Hemann scored 23 points to lead the Tribe, which improved to 12-5 overall.

The Comets also had 13 points from Chase Low and 11 points from Ian Collins while falling to 6-9 overall and 3-5 in the NEIC.

“I’m super proud of the way our kids competed against a very long and physical Waukon team tonight,” Comet head coach Ben Klapperich said after the game. “I never have to question the effort of this team when we step on the floor. We have to keep working on the boards and continuing to limit turnovers.   If we can do both those, I could see this group making a deep postseason run.”

Both the Comet varsity teams are set to face Waverly-Shell Rock on Tuesday with the girls hosting the Go-Hawks at Comet Gym and the boys playing on the road.

Girls Varsity

WAUKON 59, CHARLES CITY 36

Scoring By Quarters

WAUKON 20 18 11 10 — 59

CHARLES CITY 9 6 10 12 — 36

WAUKON — Maggie Criswell 7, Jayden Knox 11, Paige Hansmeier 2, Brinley Jones 2, Margaret Wacker 11, Emily Bieber 2, Grace Stegan 6, Annika Headington 14, Emma Palmer 4.

CHARLES CITY — Madison Lensing 3, Lydia Staudt 16, Aubrey Hoeft 4, Delaney Ruzicka 2, Ava Ellis 9, Ashlyn Hoeft 2.

Boys Varsity

WAUKON 76, CHARLES CITY 69

Scoring By Quarters

CHARLES CITY 14 9 26 20 — 69

WAUKON 15 13 20 28 — 76

CHARLES CITY — JJ Ritter 31, Jose Hernandez 2, Ian Collins 11, Mario Hoefer 3, Chase Low 13, Jeremiah Chapman 6, Cael Ruzicka 3.

WAUKON — Creed Welch 15, Aiden Jones 3, Lincoln Snitker 3, Pat Hennessy 2, Ethan O’Neill 12, Braxton Stewart 6, Braden Hemann 23, Andy Osmonson 12.