Mustang Girls Finally Find Balance as Addalea Barcus Steps Up Game

North Nodaway's girls have been searching for balanced scoring all year. At the start of the year, Jacquelyn Cline and Saryn Brown were getting most of the points. When Brown went down (knee), Lauren Herndon stepped up and became the second scoring option. But the Mustangs had been searching all year for other players to step into the void. Getting 10 points combined from people besides Cline and Herndon was an accomplishment. Finally, in North Nodaway's 49-32 win over Essex on Tuesday, January 24th, North Nodaway found some balance. Cline (22 points) and Herndon (10 points) still got their points and stuffed the stat line. But it was Addalea Barcus, a freshman, who stepped up her game and scored six points, a career high at the varsity level, in the win. North Nodaway got 17 points from the supporting cast as Angie Parker got 6, Ellaina Renfro 3, and Lacy Riley 2. 

The Mustangs started off fast as Jacquelyn slashed to the rim after getting a pass from Lauren Herndon and hit two free throws. She added a 3-pointer in transition. But Essex, despite just one win on the year, had come to play and they got an inside shot from their post player Brianna Johnson and their sharpshooter Brooke Burns, and it was all tied up again at 5-5. Cline struck from the right wing off a pass from Herndon and scored off a drive off a pass from Ellaina Renfro to make it 10-5, but Essex fought back behind their high post game and cut it to 12-11 late. But then Cline scored off a drive with 15 seconds, Addalea Barcus got a tip, Lacy Riley the steal, and Lacy fed Lauren Herndon for a 30-footer at the buzzer to put North Nodaway in control at 17-11.

After Cline slashed her way through three Trojan defenders to make it 19-11, the Trojans went to the box and one on her. North Nodaway continued to pull away to a 24-13 lead as Ellaina Renfro got a three point play off a pass from Barcus and Lauren Herndon's drive set up Barcus. But then North Nodaway had increasing trouble solving the box and one and the score was stuck there until late in the half. Then, a defensive lapse by the Mustangs gave Marsha Kirchert and the Trojans an easy basket at the buzzer and cut it to 24-15. Instead of an easy game, the Mustangs were in a real dogfight in the second half.

The Trojans hung around to start the second half, but then Johnson's foul trouble started turning the game in the Mustangs' favor again. After Ellaina Renfro kept a possession alive with an offensive board, she fed Cline for a a basket and then Barcus hit Herndon for a drive to restore a double digit lead again at 30-19. Brooke Burns' drive slashed it to 30-21, but then Barcus knocked one down from the high post to make it 32-21, prompting Essex to put Johnson back in. Johnson hit a free throw, but Cline's drive resulted in two free throws and a 34-22 lead after three.

Essex tried to hang around in the fourth quarter, but they had to come out of their box and one and take their chances or watch North Nodaway run down the clock. Finally, Herndon and Cline hit their free throws, Johnson fouled out, and Cline scored with another drive to ice the game and put North Nodaway up 45-27 at the three minute mark.

Lacy Riley, Lauren Herndon, and Ellaina Renfro each had 1 block. 

Jacquelyn Cline and Angie Parker had 8 boards each. Lauren Herndon had 6, Ellaina Renfro 5, Addalea Barcus 4, Lacy Riley 3, and Andrea Jenkins 1.

Lauren Herndon had 9 assists. Jacquelyn Cline had 5, Addalea Barcus 3, Ellaina Renfro 2, and Lacy Riley and Andrea Jenkins 1.

Addalea Barcus and Lauren Herndon had 7 tips each. Ellaina Renfro and Jackie Wray had 2 each, and Jacquelyn Cline, Angie Parker, and Andrea Jenkins 1 each.

Lauren Herndon had 7 steals. Ellaina Renfro and Angie Parker had 3 each. Jacquelyn Cline, Lacy Riley, and Addalea Barcus had 2 each.