Newton girls struggle to score in losses to B-F, Norwalk

The Newton girls’ basketball team was in striking distance of Bondurant-Farrar at halftime during their non-conference battle on Monday, but another tough shooting night, 21 turnovers and a one-point third quarter were too much to overcome.

The Cardinals trailed by 10 at halftime but were outscored 13-1 in the third and the Lady Jays claimed a 54-29 road victory.

“We had too many unforced turnovers,” Newton head girls basketball coach Eric Vander Velden said. “They didn’t press and we turned it over 20 times. We have to take better care of the ball.

“We got good looks from 3. They just didn’t fall. They aren’t missing on purpose. Bondurant plays a good pressure 2-3 zone defense. It’s hard to get the ball inside.”

Newton shot 24 percent from the floor and made only 2-of-18 from 3-point range. The Cardinals (3-17) were 5-of-9 from the free-throw line.

“We have to get to the free-throw line a little more,” Vander Velden said.

Sophia Reynolds led Newton with 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals and Emily Wermager chipped in six points, four rebounds and three assists.

Cadie Horn posted five points, five rebounds and four blocks, Evie Main scored four points, Riley Plowman put in three points and Alex Garvis grabbed three rebounds.

Hailey Dickerson and Alex Riney both pulled down two boards and Audrey Rausch swiped two steals.

Peyton Meyer led Bondurant-Farrar (11-8) with 19 points and Chesney Steenhoek chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds.

The Lady Jays shot 36.5 percent from the floor, connected on 6-of-25 from 3 and hit 10-of-20 from the foul line. They committed 14 turnovers and out-rebounded the Cardinals 39-31.

“(Steenhoek) is really good. Meyer hit four 3s,” Vander Velden said. “They are a good shooting team. That was the difference. We are still struggling to make shots.”

Notes: Former Newton Cardinal Amy (Vos) Muench is an assistant coach on the Bondurant-Farrar staff and former PCM head girls’ basketball coach Ben Anderson is the Lady Jays’ head coach.

Norwalk 61, Newton 37

NORWALK — A double-double from Reynolds was not enough for the Cardinals against Norwalk on Tuesday during a Little Hawkeye Conference matchup.

Newton fell behind early and never recovered during a 61-37 road loss to the Warriors. The Cardinals trailed by 11 after one and by 20 at halftime.

“Their pressure got to us,” Vander Velden said. “We rushed too much and had some sloppy turnovers. We just didn’t adjust well to their 1-3-1 zone.”

Norwalk made eight 3s in the game and seven came in the first half. The Warriors buried four treys in the first quarter and led 23-12 after one and three more 3s in the second pushed their advantage to 38-18 at halftime.

The Cardinals (1-12 in conference play) scored all six of their points in the second from the foul line and made only one basket in the third.

From the end of the first to the start of the fourth — 22 total minutes — Newton was held to one field goal.

Reynolds led the Cardinals with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds and she added two assists and three steals.

Horn registered four points, four rebounds and two blocks. Horn is up to 49 blocks, which is a new single-season school record. She went in front of Rori Nehring, who set the previous mark last season.

Garvis tallied three points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals and Riney grabbed five boards, swiped three steals and blocked two shots.

Haylie Ryan scored five points, Wermager grabbed four boards and Dickerson scored three points and pulled down two rebounds.

The Cardinals shot 25 percent from the floor, made 4-of-19 from 3 and connected on 7-of-8 from the foul line. They committed 22 turnovers.

Bailey Birmingham finished with 20 points and seven rebounds to lead Norwalk, while Pearl Brown scored 16 and Avery Thomas put in 12.

The Warriors (5-15 overall, 3-10 in the LHC) shot 49 percent from the floor, buried 8-of-21 from 3 and sank 9-of-17 from the charity stripe. Norwalk turned the ball over 15 times but out-rebounded Newton 42-36.

Newton’s losing streak grew to 13 games and the Cardinals last win over Norwalk came on Feb. 7, 2017. The Warriors have lost seven of their past nine games.