MONEY ON THE BANK — North Union post player Kody Irmiter (33) banks home two more points during an Iowa Class 1A, Substate 1, District 1 quarterfinal basketball game Monday night in Armstrong. North Union’s Aiden Lofstrom (23) and Sibley-Ocheyedan’s Tate Marco (back right) watch the action. (Photo by Greg Abel)

ARMSTRONG — The only question remaining to be answered by the end of Monday night’s Iowa Class 1A, Substate 1, District 1 boys basketball quarterfinal was, “Would North Union post player Kody Irmiter either match or outscore the Sibley-Ocheyedan team?”

The 6-foot-5 Irmiter poured in a career-best and game-leading 29 points to complement grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds to power the No. 8-ranked Warriors to a 77-34 district quarterfinal rout over the Generals in Armstrong.

North Union (19-2) will play host to Alta-Aurelia (12-10) in a 7 p.m. district semifinal Thursday night back in Armstrong. Alta-Aurelia outlasted Ar-We-Va (12-10) by a 67-61 decision in overtime to gain the next round.

Sibley-Ocheyedan ended its season with a 2-21 overall record.

“Our game plan was to wear them down with both our full-court press and overall defensive pressure to create early turnovers and run-outs for some transitional baskets,” said North Union head coach Alex Fisher, whose lineup blistered the nets on 14-for-15 free throw shooting and a 29-for-57 field-goal shooting performance during its postseason opener. “We went up 30-17 by halftime, but really picked up the offensive tempo by scoring 33 points alone in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.”

Ironically, the Warriors actually trailed 7-5 on the heels of Generals’ guard Ben Byers’ baseline jumper before Dan Fothergill’s pull-up 12-footer in the lane triggered the Warriors’ 7-0 surge to double the gap at 14-7 with 2 minutes left before the second quarter.

Irmiter, who scorched the nylon cords on 11-for-12 field-goal shooting and a 6-for-7 effort at the free throw line, swooshed a 3-pointer before point guard Kyan Jones doled out the third of his game-best nine assists to a cutting Aiden Lofstrom for a baseline toss-in. Preston Guerdet then converted a midcourt theft into a layup to cap North Union’s initial offensive outpouring.

Alex Kruger connected for back-to-back baskets to inch the Generals within 20-15 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the opening half before Lofstrom ignited an ensuing 8-0 run.

Fothergill fed Lofstrom for the baseline leaner before transitioning a steal into an assist to a breaking Khael Jones for a layup. Kyan Jones later delivered a no-look entry pass to Irmiter for a low-post bucket before Irmiter banked home a puback basket for a 28-15 lead.

Irmiter opened the third quarter the same way he ended the second by converting assists from Kyan Jones and Fothergill via a steal to extend North Union’s lead to 36-17. Ironically, Irmiter had outscored the Generals, 18-17, by the 7-minute juncture in the second frame.

Lofstrom tossed in two more of his 10 points from the low post and Fothergill netted two of his nine-point effort to cap the Warriors’ 10-0 surge to trigger a 33-point third quarter.

Grady Madden and Khael Jones later combined for 11 of the Warriors’ 13-point outbreak with 4 minutes left in the third quarter to put the game well out of reach.

Khael Jones matched Lofstrom with 10 points apiece for the Warriors, Madden and Guerdet each chipped in seven points, while Kyan Jones also grabbed eight rebounds to go with his nine helpers. Fothergill, Lofstrom and Khael Jones each contributed three steals apiece in the win.

Sam Schnepf netted nine points to top the Generals, while Byers and Kruger contributed eight points each.

S-O 9-8-11-6–34

NU 16-14-33-14–77

N. UNION (77)

Fothergill 4-11 0-0 9, Lofstrom 5-6 0-0 10, Irmiter 11-12 6-7 29, Guerdet 2-10 2-2 7, Kyan Jones 1-2 0-0 2, Madden 3-6 0-0 7, Henderson 0-3 0-0 0, Khael Jones 2-3 6-6 10, Bruhn 0-1 0-0 0, Colegrove 1-1 0-0 3, Beschorner 0-1 0-0 0, Walders 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 29-57 14-15 77.

SIBLEY-OCH. (34)

Schnepf 3-15 3-4 9, Byers 3-12 2-4 8, Stanton 0-4 0-0 0, Kruger 3-3 1-3 8, Marco 2-7 0-0 5, Kreykes 1-2 0-0 2, Dykstra 0-1 0-0 0, Elser 1-1 0-0 2, Renner 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 13-46 6-11 34.

3-pointers: North Union 5-20 (Fothergill, Irmiter, Guerdet, Madden and Colegrove 1 each); Sibley-Ocheyedan 2-21 (Kruger and Marco 1 each). Fouled out: Schnepf. Rebounds: North Union 35 (Irmiter 10, Kyan Jones 8); S-O 24 (Marco 5). Assists: North Union 16 (Kyan Jones 9); S-O 4. Steals: North Union 12 (Fothergill, Lofstrom and Khael Jones 3 each); S-O 4.

•

Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman/Martin Luther 82, Cleveland 71 — Carter Fox poured in a career-best 33 points as part of a double-double performance to sail the Jaguars by the Clippers during Valley Conference action Monday night in Cleveland.

Fox also grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked five shots and distributed three assists, while teammate Jackson Madsen produced an incredible double-double of 15 points and a game-leading 15 rebounds.

Eli Jensen scored eight points in the Jaguars’ win, Carter Brudelie supplied seven points, six rebounds and five assists, while Bryce Borkenhagen chipped in six points, five boards and five assists.

Brennan Kortuem tossed in 18 points to top Cleveland, Carter Barto generated 17 points, while Blake Lyons added 15 points.

The Jaguars (10-13) travel to Glenville-Emmons on Friday for a 6 p.m. conference game.

•

Mankato Loyola 69, Martin County West 40 — Preston Grams connected on five 3-pointers to tally 17 points to steer the Crusaders to a 29-point Valley Conference victory over the Mavericks on Monday night in Trimont.

Chase Kijenski collected 15 points and six steals for Loyola, while Quinn Kelly contributed a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Jacob Wilmes netted a double-double of a game-high 18 points and 10 rebounds to pace Martin County West (4-19), which travels to Spring Grove on Friday night.

Mankato Loyola (13-10) plays host to Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial on Thursday night.

•

Girls Basketball

Martin County West 41, Blue Earth Area 21 — Maddie Carlson produced a double-double performance to engineer the Mavericks’ 20-point non-league win over the Bucs on Monday night in Blue Earth.

Maddie Carlson scored 15 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and pocketed three steals, while Emily Anderson netted 14 points, garnered nine rebounds and distributed seven assists.

Ella Carlson recorded six points and nine rebounds for the Mavericks (17-5), who play host to Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s on Thursday night in Trimont.

Lola Lundquist scored eight points to top Blue Earth Area, which plays host to Pipestone at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Big South Conference Showcase.