April 20, 2024

Turnovers continue to plague Tigerhawk girls

By Troy Hyde

Colfax-Mingo senior Ivy Moore (14) scores two points inside the lane during the first possession of the third quarter against North Polk on Friday in Colfax. It was Moore’s only bucket of the game as the Tigerhawks lost 53-7. (Troy Hyde)

COLFAX — North Polk held the Colfax-Mingo girls’ basketball team scoreless in the first and third quarters and won easily during Heart of Iowa Athletic Conference play on Friday night.

Colfax-Mingo (0-9) attempted just one shot in the first quarter thanks to an effective North Polk full-court press. The Tigerhawks committed 33 turnovers in the 53-7 loss.

“We just lack that toughness that you need to be able to play in this league,” Colfax-Mingo coach Michelle Grant said. “We aren’t tough with the ball. We don’t make tough passes. That’s where we’re at.”

The Comets led 18-0 after one and had a 36-4 lead at the break. North Polk (5-5, 3-5) outscored Colfax-Mingo 12-0 in the third and 5-3 in the fourth. Dakota Hostetter scored all three of her points in the fourth to lead the Tigehawks. Reagan Nichol and Ivy Moore also put in buckets in the second to complete Colfax-Mingo’s scoring.

“We just need to take more shots. I don’t care if you miss it. That’s better than a turnover,” Grant said.

The seven points scored is a season-low output for the Tigerhawks, but the 53 points allowed was the second fewest surrendered, too.

The Comets came into the game hitting 25 percent from 3-point range, but buried eight against Colfax-Mingo. Riley Murphy connected on three of those and finished with 11 points to lead the visitors. Macy Gill also scored 11.

The Tigerhawks had an unusual holiday break. Grant said the team never practiced with all eight players in attendance. Nichol had her Wisdom Teeth pulled a few day’s after the team’s final game before the break.

The team also did not practice Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday due to wintry weather that forced the school to cancel classes for two days. The only practice of the week was an hour and a half on Thursday night.

“You can use those as excuses if you want, but I can’t say that if that changes, this game would have been any different,” Grant said.

The Tigerhawks return to the court 6 p.m. Tuesday when they travel to Class 3A No. 7 Nevada.

North Polk 18-18-12-5—53

Colfax-Mingo 0-4-0-3—7

NP (FG-3pt-FT-F-TP) — Macy Gill 4-0-3-3-11, Becca Ley 0-0-0-2-0, Maggie Potter 0-0-0-2-0, Cali Capaldo 2-1-0-1-5, Maddy Hill 3-2-0-0-8, Rachel Scott 3-1-0-2-7, Riley Murphy 4-3-0-0-11, Rebecca Rimathe 2-0-2-1-6, Lauren Determann 1-1-0-2-3, Rachel Zimmerman 1-0-0-2-2. Totals 20-8-5-15-53.

C-M (FG-3pt-FT-TP) — Alivia Haley 0-0-0-0, Ivy Moore 1-0-0-2, Sara Lahart 0-0-0-0, Dakota Hostetter 1-0-1-3, Reagan Nichol 1-0-0-2, McKeely Tjaden 0-0-0-0, Willa Colville 0-0-0-0, Bridget Reese 0-0-0-0. Totals 3-0-1-7.