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CHS girls open with 40-21 win over Buffs

Once the Concordia Panthers were finally able to get their season started, they did so with a 40-21 victory over Republic County Tuesday night in the Concordia Junior-Senior High School gymnasium.
Concordia was originally scheduled to open its season by hosting Beloit last Friday night. That game was postponed because of COVID-19 related issues.
The Panthers had just returned to practice last Monday after activities were halted for two weeks, and were without head coach Michael Wahlmeier going into the first game.
Responding to the adversity, Concordia went wire-to-wire in knocking off Republic County.
“I think the entire team, players, coaches, managers, everybody was so excited,” Concordia interim coach Carly Bloomfield said. “The things we have been working on in practice really came together today. It was a much needed win to get our season started.
Concordia jumped out to a quick 8-4 lead in the game, and would not trail after that.
It was a 9-5 game when the Panthers got consecutive baskets by Terin Rundus and Chloe Conway to go up 13-5 with under a minute to play in the first quarter.
Rundus, a senior, led Concordia with 12 points. She also had six rebounds.
Conway, a senior, added 10 points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
Nicole Popelka hit one of two free throws, and Republic County trailed 13-6 heading into the second quarter.
Zoe Bechard scored on a drive and Kendall Reynolds knocked down a three-point shot to push the Panthers' lead to 18-6 in the first two minutes of the second period.
Emily Jensik scored for the Buffaloes, but Concordia answered with baskets by Bechard and Rundus to go up 22-8.
The Panthers would then go more than three minutes without scoring as Republic County scored two points.
Rundus hit a shot as time ran out in the first half, and Concordia led 24-10.
The Panthers got off to a slow start offensively in the second half, scoring just one point in over six minutes.
Republic County got a three-point basket by Emily Hansen and scored four points during that stretch to make it a 25-14 game.
Concordia then used an offensive spurt late in the third quarter to extend the lead.
Rundus scored inside with 1:42 on the clock. Hanna Acree connected on a three-point shot and then Rundus scored again to give the Panthers a 32-14 cushion.
“We work a lot on our mental game. How do we overcome adversity or work through some of the challenges that either practices give us, or COVID or games,” Bloomfield said of the Panthers overcoming the offensive lull in the third quarter.
Republic County scored the first two points of the final period.
Four straight points by Conway and a bucket by Reynolds made it 38-16.
The Buffaloes would get no closer than the final margin of 19 points after that.
“I feel like this first win was incredibly important, because of our struggles in the past, and not just winning, but also finishing. We never did let them back into the game, so I think that was important,” Bloomfield said.
Bechard finished with seven points for Concordia.
Reynolds added six points, five rebounds and five steals.
Popelka and Jensik scored six points each for Republic County.
The Panthers will play at Smoky Valley on Friday night.

REPUBLIC COUNTY (21)
Zollinger 0-0-1 0, Blazek 2-0-3 4, Russell 0-0-1 0, Jensik 3-0-2 6, Popelka 1-3-1 6, Hansen 1-0-4 3, Goertzen 0-0-1 0, Ludacka 1-0-1 2. Totals: 8-3-15 21.
CONCORDIA (40)
Bechard 3-1-3 7, James 0-0-1 0, Conway 3-4-3 10, Reynolds 2-1-1 6, Nordell 0-0-2 0, Rundus 6-0-1 12, Carlgren 0-2-0 2, Acree 1-0-3 3. Totals: 15-7-13 40.

 

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