Comets split varsity basketball DH with Chickasaws before holiday break

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — With a foreboding weather forecast looming throughout the vicinity, maybe it was probably best that Tuesday’s varsity basketball doubleheader featuring Northeast Iowa Conference foes New Hampton and hosting Charles City was sans any drama on both ends of the bill.

The last thing we need is more holiday stress.

It only took several minutes into the girls game (which the Chickasaws won 67-21) and boys game (which the Comets won 69-40) to get a good indication where things were going.

In the girls game, New Hampton got 11 girls into the scoring column with all-state senior guard Carlee Rochford leading the way with a game-high 18 points.

Molly Wegner (13 points) and Taylor Ries (11 points) also reached double-figure scoring for the Chickasaws, who improved to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the NEIC.

Charles City (0-7, 0-3) got more than half of its points from senior Ava Ellis (11 points).

With Thursday’s home game against Riceville canceled, Tuesday’s loss against the Chickasaws was the final game of the year (2022) for the Comets, who will be back in action after the holiday break Jan. 2 when they host Saint Ansgar.

The Comet boys followed with one of their more impressive showings of the year let alone season as they took control early and never let the Chickasaws come close to getting back in the game as they led by as many as 34 points in the second half.

Junior Kam Mestas, a transfer who has been battling illness this season and — thus — was unable to practice much early into the season, had his best game as a Comet with a game-high 19 points.

The Chickasaws (2-5, 0-3 NEIC) struggled offensively from start to finish as Gannon Shekleton was the closest on the team of reaching double-figures with 9 points.

The Comet (5-2, 2-1) will be back in action after the break as part of a road varsity doubleheader against Waukon on Jan. 6.

* With a one-sided 57-18 win over New Hampton on Tuesday, the Charles City junior varsity boys basketball team improved to 6-0 going into the holiday break.

The Comets had a balanced scoring attack (everyone got in the score book) while being led by Kaden Buseman (10 points), Jordin Ritter (9 points), Jordan Foster (7 points), and Jameson Mayhew and Hayden Heyer, who both scored 6.

In their previous game against Waverly-Shell Rock , Charles City’s JV boys were down by 10 midway through the second half before making a run in the fourth quarter to come away with a 59-56 victory.

The Comets were led by Nick Williams and Buseman, who each scored 13 points, Mayhew with 10 points, Ritter with 8 points, and Jordan Foster with 7 points.

Girls Varsity

NEW HAMPTON 67, CHARLES CITY 21

Scoring By Quarters

NH 26 16 14 11 — 67

CC 2 10 5 4 — 21

Individual Scoring

NEW HAMPTON — Carlee Rochford 18, Kandice Eggerichs 4, Molly Wegner 13, Taylor Ries 11, Braelyn Rosonke 5, Kirsten Reicherts 4, Josie Speltz 2, Elaina Rosonke 2, Gracie Reicks 2, Cora Schwickerath 2, Jackie Pickar 4.

CHARLES CITY —Lauren Staudt 2, Hannah Hoffman 4, Delaney Ruzicka 4, Ava Ellis 11.

RECORDS — Charles City 0-7 (0-3 Northeast Iowa Conference), New Hampton 2-6 (1-3)

Boys Varsity

CHARLES CITY 69, NEW HAMPTON 40

Scoring By Quarters

NH 8 9 7 16 — 40

CC 22 15 19 13 — 69

Individual Scoring

NEW HAMPTON — Hunter Serie 1, Ben Gilbert 5, Evan Knowlton 2, Adam Ewert 2, Gannon Shekleton 9, Brady Speltz 2, Nick Brincks 2, Carter Steinlage 8, Aiden Roberson 5, Cael Laures 2, Leistikow 2.

CHARLES CITY — Jack Hanson 7, Kaden Buseman 1, Brenna Schmidt 18, Keenan Wiley 8, Chase Low 8, Kaden Kasemeier 2, Kam Mestas 19, Joel Villagomez 2, Jeb Wandro 2, Hayden Heyer 2.

RECORDS — Charles City 5-2 (2-1 Northeast Iowa Conference), New Hampton 2-5 (0-3)