Concordia girls roll to 66-39 win over Cobras
HIAWATHA — Playing a third game in four days didn’t slow down the Concordia High School Panthers.
Concordia turned in its best offensive performance so far this season in rolling past Jackson Heights 66-39 in the fifth-place game of the Hiawatha Invitational on Saturday.
The sixth-seeded Panthers opened the tournament with a 48-42 loss to third-seeded St. Mary’s on Wednesday. They downed host Hiawatha 49-29 in the consolation bracket on Thursday and then posted the win over Jackson Heights.
“Losing the first one kind of hurts you a little but we kept having the mindset of next day go 1-0 and our girls are pretty satisfied walking out 2-1. And I feel we gained some momentum. If we can stay healthy and keep getting contributions from everyone and see what happens,” Concordia coach Trey Kuhlman said.
Topeka Hayden won the tournament by defeating Lafayette, Mo., 55-45 on Saturday. St. Mary’s downed Marysville 53-42 in the third-place game and West Nodaway, Mo., knocked off Hiawatha 51-44 in the seventh-place game.
Concordia, now 5-5, had five different players score as it bolted to a 13-0 lead on Jackson Heights.
Jackson Heights went the first 4:21 without scoring before Brynn Shupe connected on one of two free throws to make it a 13-1 game.
The Cobras did not make a shot from the field in the opening quarter. They were three of nine from the free throw line.
Concordia outscored Jackson Heights 8-2 over the final three minutes of the first period to take a 21-3 lead.
Five straight points by Taylor McDaniel and a layup by Rylie Jessup gave the Panthers a commanding 28-3 lead five minutes into the second quarter.
“I thought, from top to bottom, it was probably the most aggressiveness we have had,” Kuhlman said. “That was probably the most confidence all of our girls have shot the ball with at the same time.”
Jackson Heights’ first field goal came with 2:40 remaining in the first half when Dawson Cochren hit from three-point range.
Charlize Cash scored for Concordia, and Taylor Bosley buried another three for the Cobras.
Jessup answered with a three for the Panthers that made it 33-9.
Bosley and Chesnea Cochren made threes, and Jackson Heights trailed 33-15 at halftime.
It was a 39-21 game in the second half when Jessup, McDaniel and Kinsleigh Bethune hit three-point shots during an 11-2 spurt that made it 50-23.
McDaniel, a 5-9 post player, was two of three from three-point range in scoring a game-high 18 points. It was her first two threes of the season.
“We keep telling her, if you are going to shoot those in practice you might as well just them in a game,” Kuhlman said. “When you can have a five stretch the floor and be able to shoot outside, that makes her more dangerous instead of her just sitting inside. It gives us another threat from three.”
Concordia took a 54-32 lead into the final quarter.
The Panthers scored 12 points over the final eight minutes and limited the Cobras to seven points.
Cash scored 13 points for Concordia. She also had seven assists and seven steals.
Jessup hit three threes in the game and finished with 12 points.
Carlie Carlgren added 10 points.
Dawson Cochren led Jackson Heights with 11 points.
The Panthers will be on the road for three games this week. They play at Clifton-Clyde on Tuesday night and then have a makeup game at Marysville on Thursday before playing Sacred Heart in Salina on Saturday.
“We will spend a majority of the week watching film during practice and then stepping on the court for 30 to 45 minutes of walk-through stuff. Just stay healthy and keep our legs underneath us,” Kuhlman said.
JACKSON HEIGHTS (39)
Shupe 1-3-1 5, Buck 0-0-5 0, Mellies 1-0-2 2, Bosley 3-0-1 9, C. Cochren 3-0-2 8, D. Cochren 2-6-3 11, Rollins 1-0-2 2, Dieckmann 1-0-0 2. Totals: 12-9-16 39.
CONCORDIA (66)
Bisnette 0-1-2 1, Bethune 2-0-2 5, Jessup 4-1-1 12, Carlgren 5-0-2 10, Bridwell 0-0-2 0, Garcia 0-0-1 0, Cash 6-1-3 13, Motes 1-0-1 3, McDaniel 7-2-3 18, Williams 0-0-1 0, Roush 1-2-0 4. Totals: 26-7-18 66.