(Elk Horn, IA) — In a battle of girls ranked teams in Class 1A, #8 Exira EHK beat #14 Coon Rapids Bayard on Tuesday night while the Crusader boys rolled past the Spartans.
In the girls game, Exira EHK won 45-35 — the first half was marred by turnovers and poor shooting by both teams. The Crusaders were 1-10 in the first quarter; the Spartans were 3-20. CRB took a 22-21 lead on a three pointer from Ella Heithoff but Zoey Rasmussen answered with a three just before the half and Exira EHK led 24-22 at the break.
The game stayed close in the third quarter but the Spartans pulled away early in the 4th quarter — Kadence Sporrer’s 3 with about 1:30 left put the game away. Taryn Petersen was shut down on her three point shooting but found a way to score in other ways and led with 15 points but also got some key steals on defense.
Jaelynn Petersen had 10 for the Spartans; Harlow Miller had 8 points and Rasmussen and Sporrer each added 6. Ella Heithoff led Coon Rapids Bayard with 9; Anna Hart averages 16 a game and was held to 4. Exira EHK is now 3-1 while CRB falls to 2-2.
In the boys game, Coon Rapids Bayard won 82-44. Austin Rasmussen hit a three pointer for Exira EHK to start with but CRB went on a 12-0 run to build a lead. The Spartans largely shot threes the whole night — they had zero 2 point baskets in the first half and finished 12-32 from three point land for the game.
In the end, the Crusaders had way too much, leading 43-21 at the half, 72-35 at the end of the third quarter. Four players were in double figures for the Crusaders — Cal Heydon led with 19, Gavin Heiderscheit had 14, Caden Oswald averages 3.5 a game but had 13, Ty Heydon also had 13 and Bryce Lewis averages 2.7 a game and finished with 11.
Owen Juhl led the Spartans with 15, Rasmussen had 12 and Blake Nelson finished with 9.
Exira EHK falls to 0-3 while CRB is now 4-0.
