Warriors begin season in dominant fashion
Ashlyn Scherf led Central with 22 points in the 54-34 win over MFL MarMac on Nov. 22. (Photos by Bev Hamann)
Lexi Loan and the Warrior defense held the Bulldogs to just 32.6 percent shooting. (Photo by Bev Hamann)
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
In the season preview, head coach Mark Wiley expressed that the Central girls basketball program felt no pressure to repeat or even replicate last year’s successful trip to the playoffs. If the early season results are any indication, the question is almost certainly, “What pressure?”
If there ever was any pressure, it was quickly put to rest, as the Warriors easily handled last year’s nemesis, MFL MarMac, with a resounding 54-34 victory on Nov. 22.
It wasn’t just the way Central took the lead and maintained it after every period, it was also the emergence of junior Ashlyn Scherf, who led the team with 22 points on 7-13 shooting.
That opened up the offensive possibilities and took some weight off last season’s main scoring tandem of Delaney Scherf and Haley Frieden. D. Scherf went 2-10 and scored four points in the win, while Frieden went 3-8, scoring 10.
The entire offense got in on the scoring, with Grace Kuehl going 3-5 with eight points and Hannah Asche dropping five points on a 2-6 night. Gracie Cummer added three points.
In total, the team shot 41.3 percent from the field, including an astonishing 48 percent from the three point line.
However, the Warriors continue to struggle at the free throw line, making just 33.3 percent of them, a stat that could pose problems in tighter games.
Central finished the game with 27 rebounds, led by Frieden with seven and D. Scherf with six, in addition to 11 assists. Frieden picked up four assists.
The Warrior defense finished with 11 steals, with A. Scherf and Kuehl getting three each. They held the Bulldog offense to 32.6 percent shooting and shut down three-point attempts, limiting MFL MarMac. The Warriors hit 12, for an 18-point difference.
Central also never appeared to be in foul trouble, leading to the Bulldogs shooting zero free throws in the game.
The Warriors continued the season of “no pressure” into the Nov. 26 game against Maquoketa Valley at Rivalry Saturday, where they edged the Wildcats 48-40.
This time, it was D. Scherf who led the team in scoring, with 20 points, after going 9-14 from the field. That was followed by A. Scherf, who went 3-8 with 10 points, and Frieden with eight points. The tandem is fast turning into a multidimensional scoring threat once you add in Aly Feickert’s six points and Cummer’s four.
Central had to rely on defense in this game, upon shooting just 16.7 percent on three pointers, though the team shot 46.5 percent from the field and went a perfect 6-6 from the free throw line.
Victory was secured on six steals, two blocks and 29 defensive rebounds that limited second chance opportunities for the Wildcats. Three Warriors amassed five rebounds total, including Frieden, A. Scherf and Lexi Loan, while Cummer led the team with seven.
The Warriors returned to the hardwood Nov. 29, versus Kee, followed by a road game against South Winneshiek on Dec. 2. They will cap off the week off with a Dec. 3 home game versus Springville.
