Saints rule the glass, then rule overtime

CEDAR RAPIDS -- The boards belonged to Cedar Rapids Xavier. So did overtime.

Class 4A eighth-ranked Xavier controlled the extra four minutes and defeated No. 14 Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 55-47, in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls' basketball game Friday night at Kennedy High School.

"We knew that once we got the lead, we had to stay strong and stay poised," said Xavier's Katlyn Andersen.

The game was tied, 41-41, at the end of regulation. Annie Dale gave the Saints (6-1 overall, 3-1 MVC) the lead on a free throw, then Alex Bartz and Andersen made two key scoring plays.

Bartz missed two shots from inside, but converted on the third to give Xavier a 44-41 advantage. Then Andersen notched a traditional three-point play to make it 47-43.

Kennedy (3-2, 2-2) was playing catch-up in vain from there.

"We had a couple of chances at the beginning of overtime," said Kennedy Coach Dennis Roloff. "We tried two layups, but they went off the side of the backboard. And when you're playing from behind, sometimes you start to force it."

Xavier prevailed despite 27 turnovers -- 18 in the first half. At one point midway through the second quarter, the Saints had seven points and 16 turnovers.

"We played really nervous, especially early in the game," said Xavier Coach Tom Lilly. "Kennedy has a reputation for having this pressing team, and I thought that got in our heads."

The Saints overcame it by outrebounding the Cougars, 44-26. Bartz had 11 rebounds, Emily Walvoord nine.

"We've been working a lot on our post defense, then boxing out," Bartz said. "It really prepared us well for tonight."

Xavier turned a 21-16 halftime deficit into a 33-27 advantage by the end of the third quarter. Kennedy rallied for a 40-39 lead on Paige Hendrickson's 3-pointer with 3:15 left in regulation.

Bartz converted an offensive rebound into a basket to put the Saints in front, 41-40, then Kennedy freshman Stephanie Botkin tied it with a free throw at the 2:13 mark.

Xavier held the ball for most of the final 1:45, but couldn't get off a shot.

The Saints got 50 of their 55 points from their starters. Andersen (17 points) and Bartz (12) combined for 25 of their 29 after intermission.

Kennedy's Courtney Strait led all scorers with 20 points.

C.R. XAVIER 55, C.R. KENNEDY 47 (OT)

At C.R. Kennedy

C.R. XAVIER (55): Kayla Armstrong 2-5 1-3 6, Annie Dale 1-2 7-12 9, Katlyn Andersen 6-12 3-3 17, Emily Walvoord 1-6 4-6 6, Alex Bartz 6-13 0-0 12, Nicole Noonan 0-0 0-2 0, Ashley Stulken 1-1 0-0 2, Lisa Boomgarden 0-1 0-0 0, Sarah Dickes 0-3 1-2 1, Katelyn Winker 0-0 0-0 0, Maddie Bertsch 1-1 0-0 2, Hayley Deutmeyer 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-45 16-28 55.

C.R. KENNEDY (47): Madison Meier 0-6 0-0 0, Courtney Strait 8-17 4-4 20, Mariah Simmons 2-3 0-0 4, Kaylese Johnson 0-1 0-0 0, Stephanie Botkin 3-10 2-3 8, Paige Hendrickson 3-9 0-1 8, Jordan Holmes 1-3 0-2 2, Sarah Zinser 0-0 1-2 1, Taylor Wagner 1-3 0-0 2, Capria Davis 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 18-53 7-12 47.

Halftime: Kennedy 21, Xavier 16.

End of regulation: 41-41.

3-point goals: Xavier 3-8 (Armstrong 1-2, Dale 0-1, Andersen 2-4, Dickes 0-1), Kennedy 4-14 (Meier 0-1, Strait 2-8, Hendrickson 2-3, Holmes 0-1, Wagner 0-1).

Team fouls: Xavier 17, Kennedy 20.

 Fouled out: Botkin.

Rebounds: Xavier 44 (Bartz 11), Kennedy 26 (Strait 5).

Assists: Xavier 7 (Armstrong, Walvoord 2), Kennedy 6 (Meier 3).

Steals: Xavier 7 (Walvoord 2), Kennedy 12 (Strait, Hendrickson 4).

Turnovers: Xavier 27, Kennedy 19.