Comet girls lose to Oelwein, 56-37, after fast start

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — The Comets started their Northeast Iowa Conference home girls basketball game against Oelwein on Friday with their most prolific first quarter of the season.

It may have also been the most costly.

Freshman Olivia Zuspan and senior Gen Wandro were both on target early as their 3-point shooting enabled the Comets to take an 18-17 lead over the Huskies after one — 18 points is the most Charles City has scored this season in the first eight minutes.

But during this offensive outburst, Comet senior Kelsi Crooks went down hard and awkward sustaining an ankle injury and was lost for the rest of the game.

The Comets were able to carry on and trailed only by 1 at halftime (27-26), and led momentarily in the third quarter when Jodie Sindlinger’s put-back bucket put them up 28-27 before Wandro hit another trey to extend the advantage to 31-29.

But the Huskies went on to outscore the Comets 17-6 in the final 12 minutes of regulation and won, 56-37.

Oelwein (6-12, 5-5) got most of its offense from two players: Drew Backer, who led all scorers with 23 points; and Amber Rosenstiel, who was close behind with 22.

Sindlinger had 12 points to lead Charles City (1-14, 1-8). Wandro and Zuspan each had 9 points scored by way of three 3-pointers.

Charles City will try to rebound when it hosts Waterloo East in a non-conference game on Tuesday.

OELWEIN 56, CHARLES CITY 37

Scoring By Quarters

Oelwein 17 10 9 18 — 56

Charles City 18 8 7 4 — 37

OELWEIN — Drew Becker 23, Haley Woodson 2, Emma Hefel 4, Amber Rosenstiel 22, Natalie McMillan 5.

CHARLES CITY — Bailey Mitchell 2, Payton Reams 2, Olivia Zuspan 9, Cinnamon Evans 3, Gen Wandro 9, Jodie Sindlinger 12.