GIRLS BASKETBALL: Chickasaws down Charles City, 50-28

By Sue Hoefer, Press Correspondent

NEW HAMPTON — The Comet Girls basketball team travelled to New Hampton on Tuesday night to face the Chickasaws in NEIC action. Coming off their best game of the season so far, they were hoping to pick up a win and get some momentum going.

But they needed to overcome some adversity that came in the form of an injury, and they got no sympathy from the Chickasaws, who won handily, 50-28.

Comet freshman sensation Sami Heyer went down last week at practice. Heyer, who spent last spring rehabbing from a torn ACL, will find herself doing the same thing this spring having reinjured her knee and needing to have surgery once again on her ACL.

“Seeing a girl on your team get hurt is heart breaking,” Charles City coach Danielle Rippentrop said. “It was only a little over a year since it last happened. She is an incredible athlete with an unbelievable drive to succeed. She will overcome this injury and I guarantee come back stronger than ever.”

A second Comet starter was lost Monday night at the end of a hard-fought overtime loss Iowa Falls-Alden when Megan Staudt went down.

With all the adversity from the week, the team knew they needed to come together.

Rippentrop told the girls, “ Not one person will be able to make up for Megan or Sami. All we have to do is have everyone play just a little better.”

The first half for the Comets was a struggle to get things going. They were in foul trouble during the first quarter and timid taking the ball to the basket. Halfway through the game Charles City trailed 25-13.

In the second half, Charles City started to take the ball more aggressively to the basket which then helped them get better shots. But is wasn’t enough to overcome the Chickasaws.

One area the girls did do a better job of was free-throw shooting. Coming in the team was shooting 43.6 percent, but against the Chickasaws they went 9-14 (64 percent ) from the charity stripe.

Jamie Sindlinger has become one of the most consistent players on the team this season and Tuesday was no exception. Sindlinger led the team with 14 points, had three steals and six rebounds.

Kelsi Crooks was next in points with 7 and also had six rebounds.

UP NEXT

Friday night against Decorah will be Future Comet night for the younger players. Jayvee will start at 6:15 p.m. and varsity to follow around 7:30 p.m.