NEN Girls Grind Out 44-32 Win over Mustangs

Northeast Nodaway's girls fought through playing the second of back to back games as well as battling the flu as they beat North Nodaway 44-32 last Tuesday. Blair Schmitz was playing at about 75% strength as she was under the weather; Michelle Schulte, who did not play in Monday's win over Nodaway-Holt, didn't start but she immediately made her presence known by convincing everyone she was OK and then backing it up with a 3-pointer shortly after coming off the bench. That seemed to snap Northeast out of its lethargy as they only managed one point in the first 4:52 of the game. Blair got winded at one point and sat out much of the first quarter before coming back late in the period and hanging in there for the rest of the game, leading with 12 points.

North Nodaway broke Northeast's man press, but could not solve their zone press in the second quarter as Northeast finally began to pull away after North Nodaway had closed to within two early in the period. Blair got behind the Mustang press for a layup and then following a Taylor Dougan steal, Blair found Rachel Runde in her favorite spot on the left baseline as she put on a fake and then hit from there to make it 14-8. Cambry Schluter's free throw made it 17-9, but then Emily Bryant found Taylor Dougan from the right wing to make it 17-9 with 5:22 left. North Nodaway only managed a free throw and a shot from the left side from Ali Ramsey as Blair trailed perfectly in transition and Rachel Runde found her open; Michelle Schulte got a drive that opened up Rachel on the baseline again; Blair kicked it out against the collapsing Mustang zone to Kristin Sherry, and then Kristin skipped it to Blair, who drove down the left side of the lane to make it 24-12 at the half.

Kristin Sherry took a charge to start the second half and then later threw to Blair in the post; Blair made a rare move with her right hand for a bucket to make it 26-12. Ramsey hit a 3-pointer, but then Blair fed it to Kristin Sherry inside and then Emily Bryant hit Rachel Runde on the left side to make it 30-15 with 5:03 left in the quarter. But then North Nodaway began hitting their outside shots against Northeast's zone, which forced Northeast back to their man. #12, Ramsey, and Schluter all began spraying outside shots on Northeast as they were able to cut the lead to 32-24 with 1:28 left before Blair found Emily Bryant on the top of the key to make it 35-24. But then Ramsey's driving layup got it back under double digits with 10 seconds left with plenty of time left.

But then Blair Schmitz beat the Mustang defense and found Kristin in transition and then drove and spun against the Mustang defense for a 3-point play for the dagger that put the lead back into double digits and North Nodaway would not get it under 11 for the rest of the game. Kristin Sherry went backdoor and got a pass from Blair and then Michelle Schulte added some free throws for Northeast at the end.