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MILLER HITS GAME WINNER, LYNX BEAT ALGONA

ALGONA — That loud sigh of relief you might have heard Friday night? That came from the Webster City girls’ basketball team.

After so many close calls and near misses in late-game situations this season, the Lynx were finally able to get one to go their way. And they have a pair of seniors to thank.

Leah Kasch fed Jenna Miller, who buried the game-winner with six seconds remaining on the clock, as WCHS knocked off North Central Conference rival Algona, 34-33, and ended a six-game skid. The Lynx (2-11, 1-7 NCC) also avenged one of those close calls — a 45-42 loss to the Bulldogs back on Dec. 18, a game in which WCHS took a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter.

“This is what you hope for for your kids,” WCHS head coach Nicole Muhlenbruch said. “You’re happy for them, you’re proud of them, and it was cool that it was the seniors who did it.”

Trailing by as many as seven points in the first half, WCHS took the lead midway through the fourth. But Algona (3-13, 3-8 NCC) hit a 3-pointer as the clock ticked under a minute to move back in front.

The Lynx refused to be denied this time though.

“We set up a play that was right out of our offense,” Muhlenbruch said. “We had Jenna come up and screen for Leah and then went with a screen and roll. Jenna was right there and made the basket.”

Algona had one last gasp, but turned the ball over in the final second.

Miller led WCHS with seven points and six rebounds. She drained the team’s only 3-point bucket. Livia Kasch and Alley Odland added six points each and Leah Kasch finished with five.

Odland and Kelly Stoakes both had two steals and two assists.

Algona was a two-girl show, as A’Lailah Perry went off for a game-high 19 points. Lillian Etherington finished with nine.

With a few extra days of practice due to a postponement on Tuesday, Muhlenbruch said her team spent its time altering its philosophy. Turning it up defensively and slowing the pace proved to be beneficial.

“We all know we’re not big scorers, so we had to change something,” she said. “That’s what we worked on all week, adjusting how we play instead of worrying about everybody else. We wanted to try to keep the score to where we could stay within striking distance and we did that.”

WCHS will be at Humboldt for a make-up game this evening.

Webster City 34, Algona 33

Friday at Algona

Webster City (2-11, 1-7 NCC) — Fallon Casey 2 0-0 4, Kelly Stoakes 0 3-6 3, Alley Odland 3 0-0 6, Leah Kasch 1 3-4 5, Shelby Queen 0 1-2 1, Livia Kasch 3 0-0 6, Jenna Miller 3 0-0 7, Reese Casey 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 7-12 34.

Algona (3-13, 3-8 NCC) — Tora Solbach 1 0-0 2, Ava Henry 0 0-0 0, Alexa Chase 0 0-0 0, Lillian Etherington 3 2-2 9, Cailey Carroll 0 0-0 0, Izzy Henry 0 0-0 0, A’Lailah Perry 9 1-4 19, Maddie Hilbert 1 0-0 3. Totals: 14 3-6 33.

Webster City 7 10 9 8 — 34

Algona 14 8 6 5 — 33

3-point field goals — WC 1 (Miller); Algona 2 (Etherington, Hilbert). Rebounds — WC 19 (Miller 6). Steals — WC 9 (Stoakes 2, Odland 2, Miller 2). Assists — WC 4 (Stoakes 2, Odland 2). Turnovers — WC 12. Team fouls — WC 8, Algona 9. Fouled out — none.

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