After suffering two more losses, the Varsity Clipper girls are trying to find some solid footing as they head down the final stretch of their regular season. On Thursday, they fell 72-56 at Randolph. A day later, they finished a rough four-game week with a home loss to Wabasso, 61-54.
Wabasso stole and scored for the game’s first basket. Taylor McCabe put in a free throw, and Harper Rutz drove for a layup for a 3-3 Clipper lead, but the Rabbits made two freebies in a pair of trips to the foul line and ran in a layup.
With a layup, Emma Kortuem cashed in on a steal at half before the Rabbits drove inside twice for a 10-5 lead.
They never trailed from there.
After McCabe made three of four freebies, the Rabbits spurted for the next eight points with half of them coming from the foul stripe for an 18-8 advantage.
With another Kortuem layup and baskets from Mollie Bowman, Rutz, Brooke Bosse and Allie Anderson in the mix, the Clippers more or less kept up until the break but still trailed 41-27.
With nine points from McCabe and threes from Kortuem and Rutz in their onslaught, the Clippers outscored the Rabbits 27-20 in the second half. Down the stretch, Kortuem bagged a three to pull the Clippers within 13, 58-45. The Clippers made six of eight free shots from there, while the Rabbits added another three-point basket.
With 17 points, McCabe led the effort. Rutz had 13 points. Kortuem totaled nine points. Bowman had seven points. Bosse had four points. Kaitlyn Flowers and Anderson each had two points.
Rutz and Kortuem each recorded a three-point basket. The Clippers made half of their 24 free throws. Wabasso made three threes and 20 of 37 foul shots.
Randolph 72, Cleveland 56
Taking advantage of steals and turnovers, the Class 2A Rockets led 24-5. The Clipper points all came from Kortuem: three free baskets and a bucket from the floor.
Later, Bosse put in a basket from three-point range, Flowers ran in a layup and then pulled down a rebound and put it back up for another. McCabe made two buckets and a free shot, and the Clippers trailed 35-7 at halftime.
With five baskets and five made free throws from McCabe, 11 points from Rutz, six from Bosse and seven from Kortuem, the Clippers outscored Randolph 39-37 in the second half, but the Rockets never really gave up command.
McCabe ended the night with 20 points. Kortuem added a dozen points, including one three. Flowers had 10 points. Bosse had nine points, including one three. Rutz also had nine points, all in the second half.
The Clippers were 14 of 22 from the foul line. The Rockets made four threes and 14 of 23 free throws.
The Clipper girls, now 6-14, will face another challenge on Thursday when they host 19-5 St. James Area, another Class 2A team.
Above: Chased by Wabasso defenders, Emma Kortuem breaks away for a layup.
Mollie Bowman fights her way to the hoop during the game against Wabasso.
Brooke Bosse guides the ball around a Randolph defender.
The Clippers with the sixth-grade team and other elementary players during the National Anthem before Friday’s Youth Night game.
At halftime, emcee Brady Hahn recognized the sixth-grade girls team. Coached by Dustin Hoffman, Nate Page and John Wobbrock, they won their league championship. They are, from L-R, Ashtyn Botker, Ruby Page, Arbor Linder, Lexi Wobbrock, Jayda Roemhildt, Breanna Bosse and Addy Hoffman. Missing is Kenzie Sandhurst.