CL girls remain perfect

by Marianne Gasaway

A 57-38 win over Iowa Falls-Alden Tuesday night, Dec. 22, kept the Clear Lake girls perfect heading into 2021.

The third rated (3A) Lions sit atop the North Central Conference with a 5-0 record; they are 8-0 overall.  Iowa Falls-Alden was expected to push the Lions in the year-end finale.  The Cadets entered the game with a just one loss.  

The anticipated matchup lived up to the records.  The first quarter was a back and forth affair, with Clear Lake holding a 12-11 lead.  At halftime the lead was only two, 23-21, and after three the score was tied at 31-31.

The Lions were powered by the shooting of Jaden Ainley and inside presence of Xada Johnson.  Ainley finished with 19 points, while Johnson had 11.  Clear Lake’s other player in the paint, Kaitlyn Vanderploeg, put in six points and had a team-high eight rebounds.

Emily Theiss and Darby Dodd scored five apiece and were among four Lions who were perfect from the charity stripe, helping the team to the win.  Theiss, Dodd and Vanderploeg each sunk both free throws they attempted in the game.  Johnson was one-for-one free throw shooting, making the Lions a stellar seven-for-seven at the line.

Annicka Nelson and Jordan Maryland came off the bench to score six and three points respectively.  Chelsey Holck finished with two points to go along with her six rebounds.

The Lions will resume play Monday, Jan. 4, when they host Waverley-Shell Rock in a non-conference tilt.  The game is set to begin at 6:15 p.m.