Grace Hoversten, Webster City’s lanky senior forward, broke a single-game school record and provided the offensive spark the Lynx needed in overtime to withstand a young and feisty Pocahontas Area squad, 57-47, inside the WCHS gymnasium Tuesday night.

Hoversten yanked down a school-record 24 rebounds — yes, 24 — to top the previous mark of another redhead, Cassidy Nerland, who registered 19 in a game against Iowa Falls-Alden on Dec. 1, 2017. Hoversten had 11 boards in the first half and then pulled 13 more off the rim and backboard in the second half and extra session.

“I had no idea I had that many,” Hoversten, who finished with nine caroms on the offensive glass, said. “We weren’t making very many shots at all, so any second-chance points we could get really helped.

“It’s nice to break a record I guess, but it’s just another game.”

Jenna Miller (40) looks to score from close range against Pocahontas Area on Tuesday. She had 10 points in Webster City’s OT win. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

WCHS (2-1) shut out Pocahontas Area (0-1), 10-0, in OT and Hoversten provided the backbreaking points. A bucket in transition off a beautiful feed from Taylor McKinney put the Lynx in front and just 13 seconds later Hoversten buried the dagger — a 3-pointer from the right wing to push the lead to 52-47.

“I got the ball and Taylor said to shoot it, so I thought why not,” Hoversten said. “As soon as we got hyped up they got down, and we carried it over to defense.”

Hoversten scored 13 points and she’s currently second in Class 4A on the glass at 14.3 rebounds per game.

“She takes the brunt of the yelling, but she’s pretty strong willed, Nicole Muhlenbruch, the Lynx head coach and Hoversten’s mom, said. “It’s really hard to talk about your own kid, but I’m just really proud of her.”

McKinney led WCHS with 15 points, nine of which came at the foul line. After Hoversten’s back-to-back OT baskets, McKinney, who also had four steals and four assists, went 5 of 6 at the stripe to put the Indians away.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

It wasn’t McKinney’s finest night shooting though. She missed all six of her 3-point attempts and finished just 3 of 11 from the field, but other role players helped to pick up the slack. Jenna Miller came off the bench and provided 10 points and seven rebounds, Kelly Stoakes produced eight points and six boards, and Adalie Schwandt chipped in five points and five caroms.

“It’s a different girl that steps up every time,” Muhlenbruch said. “Morgan (Gallentine) stepped up at Carroll, it was Leah (Kasch) against Boone, and it was Jenna (on Tuesday). It’s just fun. I’m so happy for the girls.”

WCHS built a 26-16 halftime lead on the strength of a 24-9 edge on the boards. The lead remained at 10 until the two-minute mark of the third period when the Indians mounted their comeback. They ended the third on a 7-0 spurt and eventually knotted the game at 42 on a Kaylee Shivers bank from the right block with 3:40 remaining.

Pocahontas Area moved in front for the first time, 45-44, on a Sarah Powers 3 from the left corner with under two minutes remaining.

WCHS scored just four points over an 81⁄2-minute stretch of the second half, all of them by Stoakes. Hoversten gave her some help with a three-point play at the 1:38 mark of the fourth to put the Lynx back in front, 47-45, but Shivers canned another shot from close range to even it again with 27 ticks left on the clock.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Kasch looked to play the role of hero for the second straight game — the junior scored at the buzzer to knock off 15th-ranked (4A) Boone on Saturday — but her 3-pointer from the left corner in the closing seconds was off the mark. Miller scooped up the offensive rebound, but was tied up with one second to go.

There were 14 jump balls called in the game. The Indians’ pressure defense forced WCHS into 29 turnovers.

Shivers scored 12 points for the Indians in the loss. Powers, Carly Janssen and Akaysa Duitscher all finished with nine.

WCHS will open up North Central Conference play on the road against seventh-ranked (3A) Algona (0-1) on Friday.

Webster City 57, Poc. Area 47 (OT)

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Tuesday at Webster City

Pocahontas Area (0-1) — Annika Duitscher 0 0-0 0, Jordan Saunders 2 2-2 8, Carly Janssen 4 1-6 9, Sarah Powers 3 1-2 9, Akaysa Duitscher 4 0-0 9, Manon Koezen 0 0-0 0, Paige Melohn 0 0-0 0, Abby Oberhelman 0 0-0 0, Kaylee Shivers 6 0-0 12. Totals: 19 4-10 47.

Webster City (2-1) — Tatum Goings 0 0-0 0, Taylor McKinney 3 9-11 15, Kelly Stoakes 2 4-7 8, Leah Kasch 2 0-0 4, Morgan Gallentine 1 0-0 2, Grace Hoversten 5 1-1 13, Jenna Miller 5 0-0 10, Adalie Schwandt 2 1-2 5. Totals: 20 15-21 57.

PA 8 8 21 10 0 — 47

WC 12 14 14 7 10 — 57

3-point field goals — PA 5 (Saunders 2, Powers 2, Ak. Duitscher); WC 2 (Hoversten 2). Rebounds — WC 51 (Hoversten 24, Miller 7, Stoakes 6, Schwandt 5). Steals — WC 10 (McKinney 4, Miller 4). Assists — WC 12 (McKinney 4). Turnovers — WC 29. Team fouls — PA 20, WC 13. Fouled out — PA: Janssen.