Vinton-Shellsburg makes final push, edges Marion at Rivalry Saturday

CEDAR RAPIDS — It all evened itself out in the end.

“Coach talks about the law of averages,” Vinton-Shellsburg’s Alyssa Griffith said. “We’re hitting in the first half, so we had to in the second half.”

In a game full of runs, the Class 3A 14th-ranked Vikettes had the last one and edged Marion, 52-49, in a Wamac Conference cross-divisional game as part of Rivalry Saturday at Johnson Hall.

For the Vikettes (2-0, 2-0 Wamac), it was their second straight win over the Wolves (1-1, 1-1). It was also their second win in the last 19 games.

“We’ve come a long ways,” Griffith said. “When my sister was a freshman, they used to beat us like 60-2. This means a lot. It says a lot about our coach (Rich Haisman). We’ve grown a lot to be where we are now.”

Vinton-Shellsburg led 44-38 with 3:00 left, but the Wolves got even at 46 on Mila Van Weelden’s steal and layup with 1:25 to play.

Griffith made both ends of a one-and-one to put the Vikettes back in front, then Sadie Struchen answered with a baseline bucket to make it 48-48.

Griffith scored the next four points, on a drive and a pair of free throws, to put Vinton-Shellsburg up for good.

The law of averages had worked itself out.

“We missed a lot early, but we made them at the end,” Haisman said. “I taught these girls math, and that’s how it’s supposed to go.

“I’m so impressed with the way we played defensively at the end. This is a smart basketball team.”

Griffith led all scorers with 19 points, hitting 9 of 12 free throws. She also grabbed seven rebounds.

Struchen paced Marion with 13 points.

Marion scored the first eight points of the game, Vinton-Shellsburg scored the next 13, then the Wolves followed with a 15-4 run for a 23-17 halftime advantage.

Vinton-Shellsburg 52, Marion 49

At Johnson Hall

MARION (49): Ava Attwood 1-3 0-0 2, Molly Dunne 3-4 0-0 8, Sadie Struchen 5-11 0-0 13, Ella Bockenstedt 1-2 1-2 3, Madison Prier 3-6 3-5 10, Natalie McAllister 0-1 0-0 0, Regan Rice 1-4 2-2 5, Grace Stephenson 0-1 0-0 0, Mila Van Weelden 2-4 0-0 4, Maddie Pavelka 1-1 0-2 2. Totals 18-39 6-11 49.

VINTON-SHELLSBURG (52): Abby Davis 3-4 1-3 8, Sophia Kreutner 3-6 0-4 6, Ashlie Meyer 3-6 0-0 7, Alyssa Griffith 5-14 9-12 19, Brylee Bruce 1-2 4-4 6, Victoria Humiston 0-0 2-2 2, Julia Johnston 0-0 2-2 2, Kalinda Burke 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 16-34 18-27 52.

Marion 8 15 10 16 — 49

Vinton-Shellsburg 6 11 18 17 — 52

3-point goals: Marion 7-21 (Attwood 0-2, McAllister 0-1, Rice 1-4, Dunne 2-3, Struchen 3-8, Van Weelden 0-1, Prier 1-2), Vinton-Shellsburg 2-6 (Davis 1-1, Kreutner 0-2, Meyer 1-2, Griffith 0-1). Team fouls: Marion 22, Vinton-Shellsburg 13. Fouled out: Attwood, Bockenstedt. Rebounds: Marion 12 (Prier 4), Vinton-Shellsburg 19 (Griffith, Burke 7). Assists: Marion 14 (Attwood, Van Weelden 4), Vinton-Shellsburg 6 (six with 1). Steals: Marion 4 (four with 1), Vinton-Shellsburg 13 (three with 3). Turnovers: Marion 21, Vinton-Shellsburg 19.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com