April 19, 2024

Rocket girls spoil Colfax-Mingo Senior Night

By Troy Hyde

Colfax-Mingo’s Sara Lahart (20) scores two of her 10 points against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Monday during a non-conference game in Colfax. Lahart was one of two seniors honored at halftime of the boys’ game. (Troy Hyde)

COLFAX — It’s not too often that Colfax-Mingo girls’ basketball coach Michelle Grant looks at the scoreboard after the first quarter and sees double-digits in the Tigerhawks column.

Coming into the game, in fact, Colfax-Mingo was averaging a little more than 20 points per game.

The Tigerhawks put in 10 in the opening quarter of Monday’s non-conference game against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont but had trouble sustaining it during a 54-24 defeat in the regular season finale.

Sara Lahart scored 10 points on her Senior Night, but long scoring droughts on the offensive end continue to plague the Tigerhawks (0-20).

“We did a nice job in the first quarter. We got four or five shots blocked but it didn’t fluster us,” Grant said. “We would usually let that bother us and we would be afraid to shoot.”

Grant said her squad is doing a better job with turnovers in the past couple of games. The next step is figuring out how to score more points.

Dakota Hostetter also scored six and Ivy Moore added five on her Senior Night. Colfax-Mingo trailed 17-10 after one quarter but fell behind 33-15 at halftime. They managed just nine points in the second half.

But even in a 30-point hole, many of the players were jumping in the passing lanes on defense and diving for loose balls on both ends of the floor.

“I can’t ask for more effort from these girls,” Grant said. “The score doesn’t affect how hard they play. That stuff is contagious.”

Karlie Taylor had 16 points to lead the Rockets (13-8) and Rachel Maloy chipped in 12.

Moore and Lahart were recognized at halftime of the boys’ game for their contributions on the basketball team.

“They are not just seniors, they have great leadership and communication skills,” Grant said. “There are only a certain amount of kids that I would ask to babysit my own kids, and I would let those two watch them. Because they are good kids.”

The Tigerhawks open Class 2A postseason play 7 p.m. Saturday at BCLUW.

EBF 17-16-13-8—54

C-M 10-5-3-6—24

EBF (FG/3pt) — Taylor 5/2-0-2-16, Baugher 4-0-2-8, Shafer 0-0-2-0, Flaig 1-0-1-2, Maloy 5-2-1-12, Pilcher 2-0-3-4, Richmond 1-2-0-4, Moore 0-0-1-0, Wilz 3-0-0-6, VerSteegh 0-0-1-0. TOTALS 18/2-4-11-54.
C-M (FG-3pt) — Haley 0-0-4-0, Moore 2-1-5-5, Lahart 5-0-3-10, Hostetter 2-2-1-6, Tjaden 0-3-2-3. TOTALS 9-6-11-24.