GHV girls top Eagle Grove; fall to West Hancock

The Garner-Hayfield-Ventura girls split a pair of games last week, moving their Top of Iowa Conference West Division record to 8-11.

GHV 57, Eagle Grove 26

The Cardinals opened the game strong and never looked back, as they got an easy win against Eagle Grove (0-12, 1-15), on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

GHV held the Eagles scoreless for the first six and one-half minutes of the game, while they collected 15 points.  West Hancock hit a three-point shot with no time on the clock to end the first quarter with an 18-7 lead for the Cards.

Maddie Williams had the hot hand in the second quarter, collecting 10, of GHV’s 18 points.  The Cards headed to the break with a comfortable 36-11 lead.

“We held them to 21 percent from the floor by making it difficult for them to get the shots they wanted from the girls they wanted shooting,” said Coach Matt Erpelding.

It was a tougher battle in the third quarter, with both teams scoring seven points apiece, 43-18.

The bench came in and ended the game with a 57-26 victory.

Hannah Lau had a strong game for the Cards, scoring 16 points, grabbing 14 rebounds and dishing out four assists.  She also had three steals and four blocked shots.  Williams had her strongest game of the season with 15-points, four rebounds and three assists.  Heitland also reached double figures with 14-points, to go with her four rebounds and two assists.

Jade Hanson had a strong night under the boards, hauling in six rebounds.  She also had two steals.

“We did a good job of attaching the basket as 42 of our points came in the paint,” said Erpelding. “We also did a very good job rebounding, which allowed us to get out in transition and get some easy baskets.”

West Hancock 64, GHV 51

Missed free throws could have made the difference when the GHV girls faced a tough West Hancock (11-5, 16-3) team Thursday night, Feb. 2.

The Eagles started fast, connecting on three three-point shots in the first quarter to take a 17-9 lead.

The Cards bounced back in the second quarter and closed the gap behind a three-point shot by Maddie Williams and a bucket by Hannah Lau, 19-16.  That was as close as GHV would get in the first half.  They headed to halftime trailing, 29-22.

The Cards lost post player Jade Hanson to a wrist injury in the first half.  The team missed her physically on the boards and her ability to battle with the post players on the defensive end.

The game was put out of reach for the Cardinals in the third quarter, as the Eagles outscored them 20-12.

GHV played a strong fourth quarter, but the damage had been done and West Hancock claimed the 64-51 victory.

“We need to get back to better offensive execution and become much more efficient with our possessions,” said Coach Matt Erpelding.  “Every shot we took seemed to be rushed.”

Hannah Lau pumped in 25-points to lead the Cardinals.  She also had 11 rebounds, three assists, one steal and three blocked shots.

Williams, who was three-for-five from the three-point line, finished with nine points, five rebounds and three steals.  Mara Anderson collected six points and five rebounds.

Makaya Shropshire led the team in assists with four and she had three steals.