Vinton-Shellsburg provides a test, and North Linn passes it

CEDAR RAPIDS — North Linn probably won’t get many of these.

After Tuesday, the Lynx needed this.

An opponent that fought back. A 32-minute contest.

Vinton-Shellsburg provided both.

The Class 1A third-ranked Lynx nailed 10 3-pointers — one shy of the Rivalry Saturday record — and weathered a late flurry by the 3A No. 7 Vikettes, earning a 63-56 Rivalry Saturday decision at Johnson Hall.

“Some of the teams in (the Tri-Rivers Conference) aren’t the strongest, and this can only help us down the road,” said Macy Boge, who scored a game-high 24 points.

This was a far cry from Tuesday, when the Lynx (2-0) routed Starmont to the tune of 88-10.

Vinton-Shellsburg (1-1) carved a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit to two on a pair of occasions before the Lynx clinched it at the foul line.

“It shows what we have to work on,” Lynx Coach Brian Wheatley said. “It exposed our weaknesses.”

Shooting isn’t one of them; the Lynx hit 10 of 20 from behind the arc. Neither is speed.

“We’re kind of small, so we need to work on guarding the post,” Boge said.

After the Vikettes took a brief 5-4 lead, North Linn held the advantage the rest of the way. The margin got to 16 points late in the first half; it was 38-28 at intermission.

Boge drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to make it 56-40 with about 6 minutes left, but the Lynx didn’t score from the field again.

Vinton-Shellsburg’s Julia Johnson was fouled on back-to-back 3-point attempts. She made 2 of 3 free throws on each trip, cutting the margin to 58-56.

The Vikettes had a 3-point try for the lead, but misfired. North Linn’s Mackenzie Bridgewater made a pair of free throws, Elise Ware added two more, then Kamryn Kurt added the final point.

Boge made 4 of 5 shots from long range. Kurt (13 points, five assists), Molly Boge (nine points) and Ellie Flanagan (eight) each connected twice from distance.

Alyssa Griffith paced Vinton-Shellsburg with 16 points.

North Linn 63, Vinton-Shellsburg 56

At Johnson Hall

NORTH LINN (63): Elise Ware 2-2 2-2 6, Macy Boge 10-14 0-2 24, Molly Boge 3-7 1-2 7, Kamryn Kurt 4-11 3-4 13, Ellie Flanagan 2-6 2-2 8, Meghan Wheatley 0-0 0-0 0, Allie Haughenbury 0-2 0-0 0, Mackenzie Bridgewater 0-5 3-4 3, Emilie Bueter 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-48 11-16 63.

VINTON-SHELLSBURG (56): Abby Davis 2-5 0-0 6, Sophia Kreutner 3-12 4-6 11, Ashlie Meyer 4-8 0-0 8, Alyssa Griffith 4-12 8-9 16, Brylee Bruce 1-2 2-2 4, Julia Johnson 2-8 4-6 10, Tess Erickson 0-0 0-0 0, Kalinda Burke 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 16-47 19-25 56.

North Linn 19 19 12 13 — 63

Vinton-Shellsburg 12 16 10 18 — 56

3-point goals: North Linn 10-20 (Bridgewater 0-1, Macy Boge 4-5, Molly Boge 2-6, Kurt 2-3, Flanagan 2-5), Vinton-Shellsburg 5-19 (Davis 2-3, Kreutner 1-6, Johnson 2-8, Griffith 0-1, Bruce 0-1). Team fouls: North Linn 20, Vinton-Shellsburg 13. Fouled out: Flanagan. Rebounds: North Linn 24 (Ware, Molly Boge 5), Vinton-Shellsburg 23 (Meyer 6). Assists: North Linn 11 (Kurt 5), Vinton-Shellsburg 9 (Davis 4). Steals: North Linn 6 (Macy Boge, Kurt 2), Vinton-Shellsburg 5 (Griffith 3). Turnovers: North Linn 12, Vinton-Shellsburg 11.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com