The final quarter though, that’s what saved her sanity. Oh, and her hair.

WCHS scored just 20 points during the initial three quarters against North Central Conference rival Iowa Falls-Alden, but then doubled its total with 20 more points over the final eight minutes to turn a tight contest into a runaway 40-19 victory.

The Lynx (4-6, 2-4 NCC) led 20-15 entering the fourth quarter — not exactly what Muhlenbruch had in mind against the winless Cadets (0-11, 0-6 NCC). But five WCHS girls put points on the scoreboard in the final period — reserve Leah Kasch took the lead with seven points over that stretch — to pull away.

It hasn’t been easy for WCHS over its last seven outings. Beginning with an overtime loss to Algona on Dec. 6 — a game in which the Lynx led by double digits in the second half — Muhlenbruch’s club had dropped five of six entering Friday’s tussle and the coach thinks the losses have taken a toll.

Morgan Gallentine (30) goes around Iowa Falls-Alden’s Emma Harding on her way to the basket on Friday in Iowa Falls. DFJ photo/Tracy Queen

“The kids have just been beaten down a couple of times when things haven’t gone our way and we’ve kind of lost our confidence,” Muhlenbruch said. “So (Friday night) was a good confidence builder. In the fourth quarter we were finally getting back to where we were before that loss to Algona.

“It’s not that the girls aren’t working hard, but we haven’t found how to get that mental game mode back that we had at the beginning of the season.”

WCHS outscored IF-A 20-4 in the final period. Kasch, Grace Hoversten and Taylor McKinney combined for 16 of the points.

McKinney led the way with 12 points and five rebounds. Hoversten put up her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Kasch scored all of her points in the fourth.

Kelly Stoakes scratched out just one point, but contributed two steals, two assists and plenty of defense, Muhlenbruch said.

“Kelly never takes a second off defensively and sometimes I think she’s spent at the offensive end because of it,” Muhlenbruch said. “I always give her the toughest defensive assignment and she never backs down.”

Jenna Miller added three points, while three others — Morgan Gallentine, Kaylyn Anderson and Adalie Schwandt — finished with two.

IF-A, which never scored more than five points in a quarter, received eight points from Jenny Wibholm.

WCHS will step away from the league on Tuesday to take on Manson-Northwest Webster at 6:15 p.m. in Manson.

Webster City 40, IF-Alden 19

Friday at Iowa Falls

Webster City (4-6, 2-4 NCC) — Tatum Goings 0 0-0 0, Taylor McKinney 4 4-4 12, Kelly Stoakes 0 1-2 1, Kelly Wibholm 0 0-0 0, Shelby Queen 0 0-0 0, Leah Kasch 2 1-1 7, Shaylee Gordon 0 0-0 0, Morgan Gallentine 1 0-0 2, Kaylyn Anderson 0 2-2 2, Grace Hoversten 4 1-2 11, Jenna Miller 1 0-0 3, Allie Carr 0 0-0 0, Adalie Schwandt 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 9-11 40.

Iowa Falls-Alden (0-11, 0-6 NCC) — Chloe Fagerlind 0 0-0 0, Jenny Wibholm 4 0-0 8, Marlee Lancaster 2 0-0 4, Hailey Bridgewater 1 0-0 3, Cailin Reimer 0 1-2 1, Analinn Phipps 0 0-0 0, Kate Hutchinson 1 0-0 2, Madison Jass 0 0-0 0, Eiley Nelson 0 0-0 0, Allie Off 0 0-0 0, Hannah Uhlenborg 0 0-0 0, Alexis Hill 0 0-0 0, Emma Harding 0 1-2 1. Totals: 8 2-5 19.

Web City 6 7 7 20 — 40

IF-Alden 5 5 5 4 — 19

3-point field goals — WC 5 (Kasch 2, Hoversten 2, Miller); IF-A 1 (Bridgewater). Rebounds — WC 35 (Hoversten 10, McKinney 5). Steals — WC 7 (Stoakes 2, Kasch 2). Assists — WC 3 (Stoakes 2). Turnovers — WC 8. Team fouls — WC 12, IF-A 13. Fouled out — IF-A: Wibholm.