Cardinal girls net first LHC win

OSKALOOSA — Giving up a basket right off the bat on Friday night didn’t phase Newton High’s Cardinal girls. The Cardinals reeled off 10 unanswered to go up 10-2 over host Oskaloosa’s Indians.

Newton broke a three-game losing skid with a 49-34 win in Little Hawkeye Conference play against the Indians. The Cardinals moved to 1-2 in conference action as they kept the Indians winless in conference and overall.

Newton had three players score in double figures for the first time this season.

“We shot the ball well tonight and we made 18 free throws. I don’t think we’ve even gone to the line that many times in a game before tonight. That was huge,” Newton head coach Jason Carter said. “I’m proud of the girls for staying the course, and we’ll keep grinding.”

Carter said with not having a game Tuesday, the Cardinals were able to put in a full-court press, which they used Friday. He said it paid dividends with extra possessions of the ball.

The Cardinals’ scoring began from the free-throw line as junior Kameron Nehring hit one of two tosses. Junior Mackenzie Baker and seniors Abbie Barr and Mackensie Brown produced the other eight points of the first quarter.

Oskaloosa got back-to-back baskets to open the second quarter. Baker responded with a bucket for Newton then it was “welcome back Rachel Rhoads” for the Cardinals. Rhoads, a senior who has missed three games with a broken finger, made a steal and scored for a 14-6 lead with five minutes on the clock.

Up 14-8, Newton got another basket from Barr then Brown fired in a 3-pointer. Brown dropped in two free throws to put the Cardinals up 21-10.

Rhoads netted a trey and hit two free throws. Brown had a putback to hand the Cardinals a 28-12 halftime lead.

A 3-pointer from Rhoads stretched Newton’s lead to 31-12 out of the break then the Indians made a run. Oskaloosa outscored Newton 9-2 to make it 33-21. The Cardinals carried a 35-23 lead into the fourth quarter.

Oskaloosa’s Jillian Jennings scored to close the gap to 10 points, 35-25. Brown hit a free throw and Barr had a follow shot to push Newton back up 38-25.

Jennings had a 3-point play with 4:30 left in the game to keep the Indians within 10 at 38-28. Newton got four straight free throws from senior Peyton Maher to stave off any further Oskaloosa run.

Rhoads led the Cardinals with 14 points followed by Brown with 12 points. Barr tossed in 10 points. Newton shot 35 percent, 14-of-40, from the field. The Cardinals cashed in 18-of-27 free throw attempts.

“Having Rachel back gives us another scoring option. Abbie and Mackensie have been steady for us. If we can keep all three scoring in double figures, it would be tremendous as we move forward,” Carter said.

Newton had 25 rebounds with Brown claiming six and freshman Brooklyn Cupples grabbing four. Brown had four assists. Barr, Rhoads and Maher each had two steals.

Oskaloosa had 13 points from Marleigh Denburger and 11 points from Jennings. The Indians were 7-of-15 from the free-throw line.

The Indians have not won a LHC game since beating Norwalk, 53-51, on Feb. 9, 2016. Newton’s girls haven’t had a LHC win against any team besides Oskaloosa since defeating Norwalk, 56-42, on Jan. 10, 2017.

Oskaloosa broke a 47-game losing streak with a 41-36 win over host Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Saturday. The Indian girls last win had been a 46-36 victory over Knoxville on Dec. 3, 2016.

Newton won the junior varsity game 45-37.

Newton (2-4) has two LHC home games this week to finish up the first semester of play. The Cardinals play at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday against Pella then at 6:15 p.m. on Friday against Norwalk.

Newton 10-18-7-14—49

Oskaloosa 2-10-11-11—34

Newton (FG/3-pt): Cupples 0-0-2-0, Barr 5-0-3-10, K. Nehring 0-1-1-1, Rhoads 2/2-4-0-14, Brown 2/1-5-3-12, Baker 2-0-5-4, Maher 0-8-3-8. TOTALS: 11/3-18-17-49.

Oskaloosa (FG/3-pt): Holmberg 1-1-4-3, Kelderman 1-0-3-2, Jennings 5-1-4-11, Krier 0-0-5-0, Johnson 2-0-1-4, Dunburger 3/1-4-3-13, Drost 0-1-5-1. TOTALS: 12/1-7-25-34.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com