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ICE. COLD. NIGHT.

Lynx miss 38 shots, squander 32 turnovers forced in loss

WCHS junior Kelly Stoakes (facing) picks the pocket of Southeast Valley’s Madison Lane (3) during the first quarter Tuesday night in Burnside. Stoakes scored 10 points in the Lynx 52-45 loss. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

BURNSIDE — Scoring points with any sense of consistency has plagued the Webster City girls’ basketball team throughout its start, stop and start again season. And the frustrations reached a crescendo here Tuesday night.

Forcing 32 turnovers — yes, 32 of them — wasn’t enough to overcome another inefficient offensive night, as the Lynx failed to connect on 38 of their 54 shot attempts in a 52-45 non-conference loss to Southeast Valley. WCHS shot less than 30 percent and fell behind by as many as 14 points in the fourth quarter before a few long range shots finally found the bottom of the basket.

WCHS head coach Nicole Muhlenbruch was at a loss for words afterward. At this point, she’s not sure how to fix her team’s woes.

“I really don’t have any words,” she said, noting WCHS also missed eight free throws. “We’ve just got to put the ball in the basket. I know the want and the desire are there. Now we just need to figure out how to turn that into a win for the team.”

Southeast Valley (6-7) turned the ball over a whopping 19 times in the first half, and yet found itself trailing by just one point, 20-19, thanks to four 3-point baskets that stunted the Lynx momentum generated by its guards defensively. The Jaguars cleaned up their passing and ball handling somewhat in the second half to take control.

Webster City’s Jenna Miller (right) passes out to the wing after driving into the lane against Southeast Valley on Tuesday in Burnside. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

A 6-0 run midway through the third period moved Southeast Valley into the driver’s seat and a triple from the wing by Emily Jaeschke on the final possession gave her team a 36-31 advantage entering the final quarter.

Southeast Valley put together another flurry, this time a 10-point run, over a three-minute stretch of the fourth to put the contest out of reach. Three-point plays by Emily Hemmestad and Chloe Hicks stretched the lead to double digits.

WCHS (1-8), meanwhile, found very little success when it owned possession. The Lynx first field goal of the fourth quarter came on a Kelly Stoakes 3 with 2:30 remaining. She buried another triple, as did Leah Kasch, in the late stages of the contest, but Southeast Valley made 6 of 8 free throws late to maintain the advantage.

Stoakes led WCHS with 10 points, and Jenna Miller returned from a one-game absence to produce nine points and 10 rebounds. Miller popped off for six of her points in the first half.

Alley Odland added eight points, six steals and three assists in the setback. Leah Kasch finished with six points, while Livia Kasch and Shelby Queen both had four.

Webster City’s Fallon Casey (2) pressures Southeast Valley’s Madison Lane (3) in the backcourt during the fourth quarter on Tuesday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Hemmestad paced Southeast Valley with 12 points and Jaeschke pitched in 10. Kenna Scott (nine points) and Hicks (eight points) combined for 17 more.

Active on defense early, particularly out top with its guards, WCHS stormed out to an early 11-4 lead following a Queen steal and layup. A Fallon Casey bucket late in the second quarter kept the Lynx in command, 19-13, but Southeast Valley was able to close the deficit late when Stoakes went to the bench with a pair of fouls.

WCHS didn’t exactly take care of the ball either. The Lynx finished with 19 turnovers.

Muhlenbruch says all her team can do is try to refocus and prepare for its next challenge — a date with North Central Conference rival Iowa Falls-Alden on Friday. The Cadets will travel to the WCHS gymnasium for the 6:15 p.m contest.

SE Valley 52, Webster City 45

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Tuesday at Burnside

Webster City (1-8) — Fallon Casey 1 0-0 2, Kelly Stoakes 4 0-0 10, Alley Odland 2 4-9 8, Leah Kasch 2 1-4 6, Shelby Queen 2 0-0 4, Abby Gallentine 0 0-0 0, Livia Kasch 2 0-0 4, Jenna Miller 2 4-4 9, Reese Casey 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 9-17 45.

Southeast Valley (6-7) — Madison Lane 2 0-1 5, Chloe Hicks 3 2-3 8, Sydney Carlson 0 0-0 0, Haylee Welter 2 1-2 6, Kenna Scott 3 2-2 9, Shelby Mills 1 0-0 2, Emily Jaeschke 3 2-2 10, Emily Hemmestad 3 5-7 12. Totals: 17 12-17 52.

Web City 11 9 11 14 — 45

SE Valley 7 12 17 16 — 52

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

3-point field goals — WC 4 (Stoakes 2, Le. Kasch, Miler); SEV 6 (Jaeschke 2, Lane, Welter, Scott, Hemmestad). Rebounds — WC 23 (Miller 10). Steals — WC 13 (Odland 6). Assists — 9 (Odland 3). Turnovers — WC 19. Team fouls — WC 16, SEV 16. Fouled out — WC: Queen.

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