GHV boys top Eagle Grove, 81-53, in District semi-final

(Above) GHV’s Nick Joynt means business as a bewildered Eagle Grove player wonders how to stop him.  -Reporter photo by Chris Barragy

The Eagle Grove boys knew it was going to be a long night early in the game on Thursday, Feb. 16.  The Cardinals pumped in 31-points in the first quarter to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind they were there to win the District semi-final.

“I did not think we would shoot well early, due to the long layoff we had, but I was wrong,” said Coach Joe Albertson.  “The guys buried a number of threes and hit a bunch of shots in the paint in the first quarter.”

Four three-point shots and balanced scoring in the first quarter set up a 31-16 lead for the Cardinals.  The Eagles found a way to slow down the scoring onslaught in the second quarter, holding GHV to 10, for a halftime score of 41-24.

Nick Joynt went on a six-point unanswered run in the third quarter, followed by a Holden Hutcheson three to go up, 52-30.  Sophomore James Betz hit a three with :01 left on the clock in the third quarter for a 64-39 lead.

The bench was cleared in the fourth quarter.  Matthew Heinemann ended the game with back-to-back buckets for the final 81-53 victory.

Betz had a very impressive night for the Cards. He was a perfect 2/2 from the three-point line, he was 4/4 from the free throw line and he was 7/11 on field goals.  Betz was the leading game scorer with 20 points.  He also had six rebounds, two assists and three blocked shots.

Three other players also reached double digits for the night.  Johnny O’Connor ended with 14-points, followed by Ryan Meyers with 12 and Joynt with 10.  Hutcheson and Logan Dalbeck each had six-points.

Rebound leaders included Joynt with seven, Dalbeck

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grabbed six and Meyers ended with five rebounds.

O’Connor and Hutcheson led the team in assists with four apiece.  Meyers and Chase Theobald had three apiece.

  O’Connor also led in steals with three.  Hutcheson, Theobald, Jonah Albertson and Ray Cataldo had one apiece.

“Out strength has been our balanced scoring and our depth, but we will have to be at our best on defense in our next matchup,” said Albertson.

The Cardinals faced Clarion-Goldfield-Dows on Tuesday night, Feb. 21, in Forest City, to determine the Class 2A District 3 champion.  The results of that game will be announced in next week’s edition of the Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter.  Clarion-Goldfield-Dows beat Clear Lake, 59-43, on Thursday, Feb. 16, to advance.  If GHV wins Tuesday night, they will play in Mason City on Saturday, Feb. 25, against either New Hampton or Osage to advance to the State Tournament.  Game time is 7 p.m.

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