(Carroll) The Atlantic girls’ basketball team played four solid quarters of basketball and topped Kuemper, 55-44, on Friday night at Kuemper. The win snapped a six-game skid and avenged an earlier 61-51 loss to Kuemper on December 12.
Atlantic Head Coach Dan Vargason says the win is a big confidence booster for his team.
The Trojan ended the first quarter on a 5-0 run to lead 14-9, led by Paytn Harter’s nine points. Peyton McLaren splashed down a three-point shot, adding to the run. Atlantic polished off the second quarter on an 8-0 run, and led 25-16 at the break. Zoey Kirchhoff sparked the offense with six second-quarter points.
The Knights came out in the third quarter, outscoring the visitors 12-5, and closed the gap to 30-28. Elsa Tiefenthaler and Aubrey Heuton knocked down three-point shots; however, the Trojans answered the bell, finishing the frame on a 9-3 run and a 39-31 lead heading into the final frame.
Maddie Richter caught fire in the fourth stanza with three buckets behind the three-point line to help push the visitors to an eleven-point lead (42-31) and finished the game with the 55-44 victory.
Paytn Harter led Atlantic with 18 points, Maddie Richter with 13, Zoey Kirchhoff with 10, Makenna Schroeder with 7, Peyton McLaren with 4, and Lila Wiederstein with 3.
Elsa Tiefenthaler led the Kuemper with 15 -points, Aubrey Heuton, 9, Lauren Boell, 7, Kaylie Simons, 6, Frannie Glynn, 5, and Karsyn Overmohle, 2.
Atlantic is now 2-2 in conference play and 4-9 overall. They travel to Clarinda on Tuesday. Kuemper falls to 1-3 in conference action and 3-7 overall. The Knights travel to East Sac County on Saturday and host Denison-Schleswig on Tuesday, January 9.
