Comets bounce back with 80-68 win over Chickasaws

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — One night after a humbling road loss to Grundy Center, which returns much of its numbers and size from the Class 2A state quarterfinal-advancing team from last season, the Charles City Comets were able to bounce back while hosting Northeast Iowa Conference rival New Hampton on Tuesday with an 80-68 home boys basketball win.

Coming out with a different starting lineup from games’ past, the Comets were able to jump out to an 18-12 lead after the first quarter with senior Riley Perez hitting four of his game-high five 3-point field goals in the first eight minutes before ending up with 18 points for the night.

Sophomore Henry Ruzicka, who is normally the Comets’ starting swingman, scored a game-high and career-high 25 points off the bench.

The Comets also got 16 points “off the bench” from junior guard Victor Ward, who scored much of that output taking to the rim after taking his defender(s) off the dribble during the fourth quarter where Charles City was able to pull away after the Chickasaws briefly took the lead.

The win evened the Comets’ overall record to 3-3 and NEIC record to 2-0.

The Chickasaws fell to 1-5 and 0-3.

New Hampton was led by Caden Rochford’s 21 points. His hook shot in the lane gave the Chickasaws a 62-61 lead with 3:30 left in regulation.

A 3-pointer by Ruzicka — his only trey of the game — tied it at 64-64 with a little more than three minutes left. Soon after, senior Xander Graeser hit 3 out of 4 free throws during a single Comet possession — Graeser split the first pair and was fouled again when he rebounded his miss — to put the Comets up for good before several spectacular finishes at the rim by Ward enabled Charles City to pull away.

The Comets have one more game this year with an NEIC road matchup against Waukon on Friday before the holiday break in their season.

* In junior varsity girls action ahead of the varsity boys game, Riceville defeated Charles City 36-18.

Senior Sakira Brown and junior Evelyn Mayhew were among the leading scorers for the Comets (1-3).

CHARLES CITY 80, NEW HAMPTON 68

Scoring By Quarters

New Hampton 12 22 17 17 — 68

Charles City 18 19 17 26 — 80

Individual Scoring

NEW HAMPTON — Jake Schwickerath 2, Ethan Carter 11, Caden Rochford 21, Adam Ewert 12, Carson Laures 6, Ryan Willadsen 2, Braxton Bundy 5, Reid Rausch 8.

CHARLES CITY — Victor Ward 16, Xander Graeser 5, Nick Williams 4, Jordin Ritter 2, Ezekiel Causey 3, Henry Ruzicka 25, Riley Perez 18, Jackson Ruzicka 3, Jesus Villagomez 4.

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