×

No. 13 Warriors crush Eagles by 51

Bauer erupts for 35 points to fuel NU boys' victory

ARMSTRONG — The North Union Warrior girls basketball team dominated the boards, forced a bevy of turnovers, unselfishly distributed passes and shot nearly 50 percent from the hardwood floor during Tuesday night’s clash with the Eagle Grove Eagles.

Unfortunately for Iowa’s No. 13-ranked Class 2A hoopsters, their only Achilles’ heel proved to be free throw shooting during the Top of Iowa Conference game in Armstrong.

Sophomore center Chloe Lofstrom produced a game-best double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds, while senior forward/guard Samantha Hagedorn collected 16 points, a game-high seven assists, six rebounds and three steals to power North Union to a 70-19 rout over Eagle Grove.

“A two-week holiday break can cause teams problems at the free throw line,” Warriors’ assistant coach Joel Klocke said at halftime in reference to the home team’s unusual 3-for-16 shooting from the charity stripe.

The 19-percent shooting performance at the line, however, proved irrelevant as the Warriors’ relentless and balanced attack proved the Eagles’ Kryptonite on the league contest.

Hallie Reese, who generated five rebounds, three assists and a game-best three blocked shots, triggered the Warriors’ game-opening 14-0 offensive surge with two of her 12 points on the night off of a Hagedorn assist.

Kate Anderson, who contributed nine points, seven boards, four steals and three assists to the green-and-white’s winning ways, sank a pair of free throws before Bre Anderson doled out one of her five assists to Lofstrom for a low-post leaner and a quick 6-0 lead.

Hagedorn spotted Kate Anderson on a back-door lob before Bre Anderson traded roles with Hagedorn by firing an assist to the senior forward/guard for a baseline jumper. Reese worked the paint for two more points before Hagedorn threaded a perfect pass to Lofstrom for a cutter in traffic and a 14-0 edge with 3:43 remaining in the first quarter.

After Natalie Vrba’s baseline drive ended the Eagles’ scoring drought, Kate Anderson converted Reese’s low-post pass into the first of 12 unanswered Warriors’ points to close the opening half with a 26-2 lead.

Bre Anderson tallied two of her eight points off of a Hagedorn steal-turned-assist before Kate Anderson zipped a bullet to a slashing Hagedorn for a baseline banker.

Hagedorn distributed assists to Bre Anderson and Lofstrom, respectively, before Lofstrom’s putback basket off of the offensive glass capped the first-quarter scoring avalanche.

Ari Lyman opened the second quarter with a right-wing jumper and later, two free throws, but North Union reeled off a 10-0 run to widen the gap to 36-6. Reese bookended the double-digit run by cashing in passes from the Andersons — Bre and Kate, respectively — to leave little doubt about the game’s final outcome.

Lofstrom’s putback basket at the 26-second juncture and Hagedorn’s driving runner 15 seconds later put the Warriors within two points of running time — a 35-point margin — by intermission.

Bre Anderson pocketed one of her three steals and fed Hagedorn for a layup to open the third quarter and create the necessary point differential to evaporate the remaining 15 minutes of regulation.

The Warriors scorched the nets on 33 of 70 field-goal shooting for 47 percent, while limiting the Eagles to just 16 percent from the floor (7 of 43).

Lofstrom’s double-digit board total paced North Union’s 44-26 rebounding edge, while all five Warrior starters distributed at least one assist, with Vanessa Von Bank and Brooklyn Prochniak doling out one apiece off the home team’s bench.

Kate Anderson’s four thefts helped spearhead the Warriors’ plus-22 advantage — 8-to-30 — in the game’s turnover ratio category.

North Union (10-0) travels to Garner-Hayfield/Ventura on Friday night. Eagle Grove (2-7) plays host to West Bend-Mallard on Thursday night.

EG 2 8 6 3 — 19

NU 26 17 13 14 — 70

NORTH UNION (70)

Hagedorn 8-17 0-1 16, Lofstrom 9-15 1-5 19, Reese 6-9 0-2 12, K. Anderson 3-9 2-2 9, B. Anderson 4-9 0-2 8, Steinberger 2-3 0-0 4, McClellan 0-1 0-0 0, Morphew 0-1 0-2 0, Von Bank 0-2 0-2 0, Prochniak 1-2 0-0 2, Tirevold 0-1 0-0 0, Laubenthal 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 33-70 3-16 70.

EAGLE GROVE (19)

K. Sampson 0-6 0-0 0, Lyman 2-5 3-4 7, Kastler 1-7 1-3 3, Friedl 1-4 0-0 3, Crail 0-5 0-1 0, H. Sampson 0-5 0-0 0, Vrba 3-7 0-0 6, M. Sampson 0-2 0-0 0, Gump 0-1 0-0 0, Whaley 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 7-43 4-10 19.

3-pointers: North Union 1-16 (K. Anderson 1-5, Hagedorn 0-3, B. Anderson 0-3, Steinberger 0-1, McClellan 0-1, Von Bank 0-1, Prochniak 0-1, Laubenthal 0-1); Eagle Grove 1-8 (Friedl 1-1, Crail 0-3, K. Sampson 0-1, Lyman 0-1, H. Sampson 0-1, Gump 0-1). Fouled out: None. Rebounds: North Union 44 (Lofstrom 12, K. Anderson and B. Anderson 7 each); Eagle Grove 26 (Kastler 7). Assists: North Union 19 (Hagedorn 7, B. Anderson 5); Eagle Grove 1. Steals: North Union 14 (K. Anderson 4, Hagedorn and B. Anderson 3 each); Eagle Grove 5 (Lyman 3). Blocked shots: Reese 3.

Boys Basketball

North Union 60, Eagle Grove 57 — Senior guard Riley Bauer went into, well, Bauer mode during Tuesday night’s Top of Iowa Conference clash in Armstrong.

Bauer drilled a late 3-pointer, converted an ensuing traditional 3-point and connected on a pair of free throws to seal the Warriors’ three-point triumph over the Eagles.

Bauer drained 5 of 10 3-pointers and sank an incredible 14 of 17 free throws to highlight his game-high 35-point performance for North Union. Bauer also grabbed a team-best seven rebounds and pocketed three steals.

Robert Ortman contributed 14 points and five boards to the Warriors’ winning ways, Hunter Pierce chipped in five points, Derek Thompson distributed three assists and pulled down six rebounds, while Blake Crawmer added six rebounds.

The Warriors made 8 of 36 shots from 2-point range, 8 of 17 behind the arc and 20 of 25 free throws on the night.

North Union (2-7) travels to Garner-Hayfield/Ventura on Friday night.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today