Vikings storm back against Comets, win 43-31 in OT

Decorah avoids season sweep before both teams start regionals

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — Technical fouls from the opposing coaches have not been very kind to the Comets — for the boys and girls basketball teams.

After Osage’s boys coach Mike Brahn got whistled for a “T”, his Green Devils responded by erasing a 12-point deficit late in the game while pulling off a stunning away victory against the Comet last month.

Then on Friday, the visiting Decorah Vikings looked as if they were going to drop the season series against Charles City.

They were down by 4 late in game where points were at a premium before the advantage was extended to 5 (28-23) thanks to Kelsi Crooks making one of two free throws awarded due to Decorah coach Shannon Quandahl picking up a bench technical.

When Viking junior Elizabeth Hartman drilled a 22-footer, it cut the Comets’ advantage to 3 (29-27) with 55.8 seconds left in regulation. Then after several Charles City turnovers, Abigail Hunter’s 10-footer tied it at 29 with 5.1 seconds left in regulation.

In overtime, it was all Vikings as they outscored the Comets 14-2 on way to a 43-31 final.

Hudson led all scorers with 12 points — half of which came from 6 of 6 shooting from the free throw line in OT.

Hartman, who hit another 3-pointer in OT, had 10 points for Decorah (3-18, 1-11 Northeast Iowa Conference).

Gen Wandro’s 3-pointer put the Comets up 10-7 before Charles City took a 12-10 lead into the locker room.

Alea Lutkenhaus’s 3-pointer put the Vikings up 21-19 before Jodie Sindlinger’s put-back bucket tied it at 21 going into the fourth quarter.

Payton Reams’s steal and put-up 10-footer put the Comets up 25-23 with 3:30 left in regulation before Crooks’s put-back extended the lead to 4 (27-23) just ahead of Quandahl’s technical.

Crooks had 10 points and also was the game’s leading rebounder for the Comets (1-19, 1-11), who will begin the postseason on Wednesday in Mason City when they take on the Mohawks in the first round of the Class 4A-Region 7 bracket.

* The Comets boys basketball team faced the Vikings in Decorah on Friday to close the Northeast Iowa Conference portion of their schedule.

The Vikings prevailed, 50-34, dropping the Comets’ records to 14-6 and 7-5.

The Comets have one more regular-season game which will be Friday when they host Independence.

For Charles City, the postseason begins Feb. 20 when it hosts Crestwood in the semifinals of the Class 3A District 6 bracket. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m.

The Comets have a 1-1 record against the Cadets, beating them on the road (54-32) before losing to them at home (56-53).

The winner will face the winner of the Forest City-vs.-Independence semifinal in the finals, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. tentatively at Forest City.

DECORAH 43, CHARLES CITY 31 (OT)

Scoring By Periods

Decorah 7 3 11 8 14 — 43

Charles City 7 5 9 8 2 — 31

DECORAH — Abby Hudson 12, Elizabeth Hartman 10, Isabel Iverson 6, Allie Hafner 4, Augusta Casterton 4, Lindsey McEnaney 4, Alea Lutkenhaus 3.

CHARLES CITY — Kelsi Crooks 10, Jodie Sindlinger 6, Gen Wandro 6, Payton Reams 4, Olivia Zuspan 3, Bailey Mitchell 2.