Kandace Damgar Ignites Mustangs Against Rockets

West Nodaway came in bound and determined to make a stand on its senior night on the girls side, but it was Kandace Damgar who got the Mustangs off the launch pad, hitting four 3-pointers to propel the Mustangs to the 52-25 win Thursday night. West Nodaway came into the night with three wins on the year, two of those over winless Union Star, and a 40-31 win over an equally tough luck team in Stewartsville. For North Nodaway, the win gave them their best record so far in the Sami Jackson era; they were 16-6 pending the outcome of Monday’s district game at Nodaway-Holt against Rock Port.

Audrey Trimble scored early on a transition basket after a pass from Keagan O’Riley, but much of the first three minutes was played on the other end as West Nodaway was flying to the glass, getting six first-quarter offensive boards. But then the Mustangs started to pull away as Kristin Herndon hit Kandace Damgar for three on the right wing and Audrey Trimble hit Ashley Thompson inside to make it 7-0 with 3:46 left.

MacKenzie Finney banked home a three and West Nodaway tried to make a stand, but three more 3-pointers from Damgar – two of them off second chance opportunities – put the Mustangs back in front 16-6 after one.

That seemed to open the floodgates for North Nodaway as Kristin Herndon hit Ashley Thompson inside to start the scoring. Herndon hit a free throw following a steal, Herndon hit Ashley on a high-low look after Audrey Trimble kept a possession alive with an offensive glass, Herndon hit from the right baseline, Keagan O’Riley hit Audrey Trimble from the top of the key, Audrey Trimble hit Ashley Thompson inside, and North Nodaway was up 27-6 with 3:24 left in the first half. At that point, Saylor Brown connected from beyond the arc to get in on the act and Keagan O’Riley hit Kristin Herndon in the high post to make it 32-6 at the break. North Nodaway had outscored West Nodaway 16-0 in the second quarter to put the game away.

Keagan O’Riley scored off a drive and Kandace Damgar hit her fifth 3-pointer of the game to make it 37-7 to start the third. Brittney McIntyre hit two free throws for the Rockets, but Jadon Dobbins got a tip, Saylor Brown got a steal, and threw it back to Jadon for two free throws to make it 39-9. Lexi Moore connected twice from the left baseline to close the gap to 39-13, but Keagan O’Riley hit Audrey Trimble, who drove home for a layup, Keagan O’Riley scored off a steal, and Karissa Oberhauser hit Keagan O’Riley for three as the bench started to clear for North Nodaway. The Mustangs led 46-13 after three quarters.

Alonna Cross and Felicia Wyllie both hit 3-pointers for North Nodaway in the fourth.
Kandace Damgar had 15 for North Nodaway to lead the team as nine Mustangs scored. Ashley Thompson had 8, Keagan O’Riley had 7, Audrey Trimble had 6, Kristin Herndon 5, Saylor Brown, Alonna Cross, and Felicia Wyllie all had 3, and Jadon Dobbins had 2.

Ashley Thompson had 7 blocks for North Nodaway, and would have had more if the officials had not called the game so tight. Saylor Brown had 1.

Saylor Brown and Ashley Thompson had 7 boards to lead North Nodaway, who had 12 different players get at least one. Kristin Herndon had 5, Keagan O’Riley and Emma Hart had 3, Jadon Dobbins, Alonna Cross, and Karissa Oberhauser had 2, and Audrey Trimble, Kandace Damgar, Anna Nielson, and Lexi Harger all had 1.

Keagan O’Riley and Kristin Herndon had 5 assists each. Audrey Trimble, Emma Hart, Jadon Dobbins, and Karissa Oberhauser each had 2.

Kristin Herndon and Kandace Damgar each had 8 tips for North Nodaway, which had 32. Keagan O’Riley had 5, Saylor Brown, Jadon Dobbins, and Audrey Trimble had 3, and Ashley Thompson and Karissa Oberhauser had 1.

Kristin Herndon, Keagan O’Riley, Saylor Brown, and Kandace Damgar all had 4 steals. Ashley Thompson, Jadon Dobbins, Alonna Cross, and Felicia Wyllie all had 1.