Maquoketa Valley presses its way to a Rivalry Saturday win

CEDAR RAPIDS — If there's a girls' basketball team equipped for a 94-foot floor, it's Maquoketa Valley.

'We want to be a running team,' senior Sam Wall said. 'We want to be in people's faces. That will make up for what we lack.'

The relentless Wildcats ran, pressed and made life pretty miserable for Class 2A 11th-ranked Sumner-Fredericksburg, picking up an impressive 48-28 victory as part of Rivalry Saturday at Kohawk Arena.

A 14-0 run that straddled the first-quarter break was critical. Wall ignited it with three free throws, then Emerson Whittenbaugh had a couple of layups and Ella Imler added another.

That surge turned an 8-8 deadlock into a 22-8 Maquoketa Valley advantage. It was 31-14 at halftime, then the Wildcats (2-0) coasted home.

The outcome reversed a Sumner-Fredericksburg win over Maquoketa Valley in last year's 2A regional quarterfinals. And a triumph over a ranked team will gain attention on the statewide level.

'It's a great feeling,' Wall said. 'We knew this was going to be a tough, physical game.'

With their hands and with their feet, the Wildcats were undisputedly the quicker team, forcing the Cougars into 21 turnovers. Maquoketa Valley accumulated 15 steals, and countless deflections.

Wall led all scorers with 11 points. Whittenbaugh and Imler added nine each.

Cassidy Pagel posted nine points and nine rebounds for Sumner-Fredericksburg (1-1). 

MAQUOKETA VALLEY 48, SUMNER-FREDERICKSBURG 28

At Kohawk Arena

SUMNER-FREDERICKSBURG (28): Ivy Hirsch 2-5 1-1 5, Megan Niewoehner 1-5 2-4 4, Madelyn Nederhoff 3-5 0-0 6, Cassidy Pagel 3-6 3-9 9, Jenna Pagel 1-3 2-2 4, Kyle Jordan 0-0 0-0 0, Tiffany Beyer 0-1 0-0 0, Landree Kobliska 0-1 0-0 0, Molly Niewoehner 0-1 0-0 0, Mariah Nuss 0-2 0-0 0, Liz Fox 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 10-29 8-16 28.

MAQUOKETA VALLEY (48): Maddy Anderegg 2-4 0-0 5, Sam Wall 3-10 4-5 11, Emerson Whittenbaugh 4-8 1-2 9, Ella Imler 4-10 0-0 9, Maci Freiburger 2-5 1-1 5, Kylie Chesnut 0-1 0-0 0, Caelyn Sands 0-1 0-0 0, Brooklyn Sands 0-1 1-2 1, Brooke Wilson 0-2 0-0 0, Taya Tucker 1-2 0-0 2, Madyleine Moenck 0-1 0-0 0, Brooke Elgin 1-1 1-1 3, Emma Richter 0-1 1-1 1, Avery Krapfl 0-0 0-0 0, Carissa Sabers 0-0 0-0 0, Paige Winter 1-1 0-0 2, Liz McDowell 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-48 9-12 48.

Halftime: Maquoketa Valley 31, Sumner-Fredericksburg 14. 3-point goals: Sumner-Fredericksburg 0-4 (J.Pagel 0-1, Beyer 0-1, Kobliska 0-1, Nuss 0-1), Maquoketa Valley 3-16 (Anderegg 1-1, Wall 1-4, Imler 1-6, Freiburger 0-2, Tucker 0-1, Moenck 0-1, Richter 0-1). Team fouls: Sumner-Fredericksburg 12, Maquoketa Valley 14. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Sumner-Fredericksburg 22 (C.Pagel 9), Maquoketa Valley 22 (Whittenbaugh 5). Assists: Sumner-Fredericksburg 7 (Hirsch, Nuss 2), Maquoketa Valley 9 (Wall, Imler 3). Steals: Sumner-Fredericksburg 8 (Hirsch, Nederhoff 3), Maquoketa Valley 15 (Wall, Imler 4). Turnovers: Sumner-Fredericksburg 21, Maquoketa Valley 14.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com