Mustangs Barrage on Boards Sinks NEN

North Nodaway dominated the boards in the girls game Friday and avenged their Platte Valley Invitational loss to NEN, beating the Bluejays 43-35. There were several differences between the two games. NEN was able to hold their own on the boards at Northwest; North Nodaway outrebounded NEN 41-23 Friday. North Nodaway made a concerted effort to get the ball inside to Ashley Thompson; NEN had both Paige West and Madelynn Mattson in foul trouble. At Northwest, the Bluejays were able to stay out of foul trouble.

This was one of several revenge games that North Nodaway has pulled off during the Sami Jackson era; they are frequently a difficult team to beat twice. The Mustangs came into Fridays game with a 45-30 win over DeKalb; they got off to a slow start, but then weathered the Tigers’ vaunted half-court trapping defense to get the win.

The game started off like the first one, with Madelynn Mattson scoring two quick baskets, Makayla Adwell hitting Paige West inside, and Gerry Runde scoring off a drive to make it 8-2. But then as the fouls started racking up and both West and Mattson had to sit, the Mustangs came clawing back to tie after one. Saylor Brown scored off a steal, Keagan O’Riley hit two free throws, and Kristin Herndon also scored to make it tied at 11 after one. The worrisome thing about that quarter from Northeast’s standpoint was that even when NEN was ahead, North Nodaway Sami Jackson didn’t burn a timeout and ask her players how bad they wanted it. Another worrisome sign was that the Mustangs were ahead in the rebounding battle at that point 14-3.

Sure enough, after the game was knotted up at 13 and 16, North Nodaway took control of the game when Keagan O’Riley scored off a drive down the right side and Audrey Trimble and Saylor Brown scored back to back threes to make it 24-16 at the break.

The foul woes continued to mount for NEN as Mattson picked up her fourth and Saylor Brown hit Ashley Thompson inside to make it 28-18 at the 3:39 mark of the third. Northeast showed some life, getting it back to 31-24 with Mattson on the bench, but Keagan O’Riley hit a 3-pointer to start the fourth to put the Mustangs right back up by ten.

But the Bluejays had been in this situation several times in the last two years, rallying after getting down double digits twice last year against North Harrison, once against Rock Port last year, and last Tuesday against Nodaway-Holt. Sure enough, Cassy Redden hit from the baseline and Blair Stoll hit Makayla Adwell and she hit two free throws to make it six. Kristin Herndon countered for the Mustangs to make it 36-28, but then Gerry Runde hit from downtown, Paige West posted up against the much taller Ashley Thompson and somehow got a shot to go down, and Madelynn Mattson cleaned up after Paige West got a steal to make it 36-35 with 2:44 left.

NEN got a chance to take the lead, but then Keagan O’Riley wouldn’t let the Mustangs lose, getting a steal and throwing it ahead to Kandace Damgar to make it 38-35.

The teams traded misses until the 30 second mark, when, instead of pulling it out and trying to draw a foul, Kandace Damgar pulled the trigger from downtown. The shot missed, but Audrey Trimble, who puts up some of her best rebounding numbers against the Bluejays, came up with a huge offensive board, pulled it out to Keagan O’Riley, and Paige West had to use up her fifth foul to stop the clock with 23.4 seconds left. Keagan O’Riley hit both free throws to make it 40-35.

Cassy Redden missed a good look from the left baseline, and Kandace Damgar went coast to coast and hit Audrey Trimble with 4.4 seconds left for a three point play for the dagger.

For North Nodaway, Keagan O’Riley led the scoring with 14 points. Kristin Herndon had 11, Audrey Trimble 6, Ashley Thompson and Saylor Brown 5, and Kandace Damgar 2.

Ashley Thompson had 3 blocks and Kristin Herndon 2 for the Mustangs.

Ashley Thompson had 11 boards and Audrey Trimble 10 for the Mustangs. Kandace Damgar and Kristin Herndon had 6 each, Saylor Brown 4, and Keagan O’Riley 3.

Audrey Trimble had 6 assists for North Nodaway. Saylor Brown had 3, and Keagan O’Riley and Kandace Damgar had 1.

Audrey Trimble and Kristin Herndon had 6 tips on defense. Keagan O’Riley had 4, Kandace Damgar 3, and Emma Hart 1.

Audrey Trimble had 3 steals for the Mustangs. Kandace Damgar, Saylor Brown, and Keagan O’Riley had 2, while Emma Hart had 1.

For Northeast Nodaway, Makayla Adwell had 10. Gerry Runde had 9, Madelynn Mattson 8, Paige West 6, and Cassy Redden 2.

Paige West and Anne Schieber had 1 block each.

Madelynn Mattson had 5 boards. Gerry Runde, Paige West, and Blair Stoll had 4 each, while Makayla Adwell and Cassy Redden had 3.

Makayla Adwell had 5 assists. Blair Stoll had 4, Paige West had 3, Cassy Redden 2, and Gerry Runde 1.

Paige West had 9 tips for NEN. Makayla Adwell had 5, Gerry Runde 4, Anne Schieber and Cassy Redden 2, and Blair Stoll 1.

Paige West, Blair Stoll, and Makayla Adwell all had 5 steals. Gerry Runde had 2, while Anne Schieber and Cassy Redden had 1.