Mount Vernon’s run ends in the 3A girls’ state basketball semifinals with loss to ELC

DES MOINES — Two games in three days. And, for the Mount Vernon Mustangs, two completely opposite ends of the spectrum.

Top-ranked Estherville-Lincoln Central held the No. 4 Mustangs to a season-low scoring output and won Thursday’s Class 3A semifinal, 45-37, at the girls’ state basketball tournament Thursday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena.

“We missed some early (shots) early,” Mount Vernon Coach Nate Sanderson said. “It felt like we were getting good looks, but we missed four or five at the rim.

“If we make half of those, it’s probably a six- or eight-point game at the half instead of 16, and it’s a completely different game.”

Instead, the Midgets (24-2) led 28-12 at halftime, extended the advantage to as many as 20 in the third quarter, then coasted home.

ELC will play for its second title in three seasons, at 8 p.m. Friday against No. 3 Solon (23-3).

“It feels great to be able to go out on the court one more time with my friends,” Hillary Ruschy said.

ELC dynamo Haylee Stokes, who scored 44 points in the Midgets’ first-round win over Forest City, was held to 15 Thursday. But Rylee Yager (14 points, 12 rebounds) and Ruschy (11 points) stepped forward.

“If you’d told me we hold them to 45 and hold Stokes to 15, I’d take my chances,” Sanderson said.

But the Mustangs shot 29 percent from the field, 4 of 18 from long distance and got no offensive flow until the final 4 minutes.

“Our offense goes through our posts, and it was tough getting it inside,” Mount Vernon’s Courtney Franck said.

Added Chloe Meester, “There would be one to the side of me and another behind me. When you get to the final four, it comes down to whoever shoots better.”

For the Mustangs (22-4), it was the polar opposite of a brilliant quarterfinal performance against Harlan, in which they shot to a 25-point halftime lead and shot 56 percent.

They never led Thursday, and trailed 10-2 after 5 1/2 minutes.

Franck and Meester scored nine points apiece for the Mustangs. Both will be part of a nucleus of four returning starters for 2024-25.

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Photos: Estherville-Lincoln Central vs. Mount Vernon in Class 3A girls’ state basketball semifinals

Estherville-Lincoln Central 45, Mount Vernon 37

Class 3A State Semifinal, at Des Moines

MOUNT VERNON (37): Courtney Franck 4-8 1-4 9, Taylor Franck 1-13 1-2 4, Chloe Meester 4-6 1-2 9, Sydney Huber 2-9 0-0 5, Peyton Simpson 2-8 0-0 5, Lillian Wischmeyer 0-0 0-0 0, Eryn Jackson 1-2 0-0 3, Josie Niehaus 0-1 0-0 0, Brynley Rasmussen 0-1 2-2 2. Totals 14-48 5-10 37.

ESTHERVILLE-LINCOLN CENTRAL (45): Tatum Dunlavy 1-2 0-0 2, Rylee Yager 6-11 2-2 14, Jasey Anderson 1-7 0-0 3, Haylee Stokes 4-11 5-6 15, Hillary Ruschy 4-12 2-2 11, Cara Schiltz 0-3 0-0 0, Morgan Clabaugh 0-0 0-0 0, Lexi Juergens 0-0 0-0 0, Zoey Deruyter 0-0 0-0 0, Julissa Smith 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-46 9-10 45.

Mount Vernon 5 7 10 15 — 37

Estherville-Lincoln Central 12 16 12 5 — 45

3-point goals: Mount Vernon 4-18 (C. Franck 0-1, T. Franck 1-5, Simpson 1-4, Jackson 1-2, Niehaus 0-1), ELC 4-17 (Dunlavy 0-1, Anderson 1-5, Stokes 2-5, Ruschy 1-4, Schiltz 0-2). Team fouls: Mount Vernon 10, ELC 12. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Mount Vernon 32 (Meester 8), ELC 33 (Yager 12). Assists: Mount Vernon 6 (T. Franck 2), ELC 11 (Anderson 3). Steals: Mount Vernon 5 (Huber 2), ELC 8 (three with 2). Turnovers: Mount Vernon 12, ELC 11.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com