Girls’ basketball, Rivalry Saturday 2023: Mount Vernon 64, Maquoketa 59

CEDAR RAPIDS — In the mind of Nate Sanderson, there are multiple explosive scorers on the Mount Vernon girls’ basketball roster.

“We have four that can get 20 (points) on any given night,” he said. “Tonight was Peyton’s night.”

Peyton Simpson made all five of her 3-point attempts and hit some critical free throws late, leading Class 3A sixth-ranked Mount Vernon past 4A No. 14 Maquoketa, 64-59, as past of Rivalry Saturday at Johnson Hall.

Simpson scored 22 points, and the Mustangs (1-0) made the last push in a second half that featured seven ties and 10 lead changes.

“I’ve been shooting a lot in practice, so I kept letting it fly,” Simpson said. “Everybody kept their confidence and kept their cool.”

Mount Vernon scored the final six points, all from the free-throw line in the closing 44 seconds.

Simpson hit a pair to put the Mustangs in front, 60-59, then hit one of two to extend the margin to two.

Sydney Huber made three of four in the final 6 seconds to close it out.

The Mustangs prevailed despite a Rivalry Saturday record-tying six 3-pointers (in 13 attempts) by Maquoketa’s Kendall Kuhlman.

Aubrey Kroymann paced the Cardinals (2-1) with 22 points; Kuhlman added 20.

“I told the kids, this is a perfect game to get us ready for the Wamac (Conference),” Sanderson said. “They have an active defense and a couple of really good players.”

Mount Vernon shot to a 24-11 lead late in the first quarter, but Maquoketa rallied to tie it, 32-32, by halftime.

Huber, a key member of Cedar Rapids Xavier’s rotation the past two seasons, added 12 points and harnessed seven rebounds for the Mustangs. Chloe Meester and Courtney Franck tallied 11 points apiece.

Mount Vernon was 14 of 19 from the line; Maquoketa was 12 of 24.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com