Pocahontas Area races past Mustangs, 83-43

DES MOINES — Elle Ruffridge is on pace to become the state's all-time leading scorer.

But to call Pocahontas Area a gang of one would be foolish.

The top-ranked Indians put on an offensive clinic in the first half and pounded Mount Vernon, 83-43, in a Class 3A quarterfinal at the girls' state basketball tournament Tuesday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena.

'They definitely deserve their No. 1 ranking,' said Mount Vernon's Kaitlyn Volesky. 'We knew they were going to be fast and quick. They have great shooters, and they came out and did what they have to do.'

A junior committed to Missouri State University, Ruffridge scored 24 points Tuesday, moving her career total to 2,052. Deb Remmerde holds the state mark with 2,756, so Ruffridge is on track with a season to go, plus one or two more games this week; next up is a semifinal date with No. 4 Cherokee (23-2) in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Thursday.

But Ruffridge isn't the entire story for the Indians (25-0), a fast-breaking, hot-shooting team that averages 80 points per game.

'You pick your weapons with them,' Mustangs Coach Dennis Roloff said. 'You concentrate on one, and the others are going to pick it up. I don't think they had an answer for (Volesky), but two points every time isn't going to beat three.'

Twins Faith and Grace Meyer added 22 and 13 points respectively. Faith Meyer shot 18 free throws, making 13.

'After we got beat (by Nevada in last year's 3A final), the kids committed themselves to getting better,' Poky Coach Robert Maske said. 'They all said they needed to take a big step forward.'

Said Ruffridge, whose listed height of 5-foot-4 is probably a stretch by an inch or two: 'We're just good athletes who love to run. We love the fast-paced game. We don't like slow basketball.'

This was never much of a contest. The Indians scored the first nine points and led 25-13 after a quarter, 53-28 at halftime.

'We're a running team, and they're faster than we are,' Mount Vernon's Jacque Murray said.

Volesky finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Mustangs (16-9). She is one of four starters to return next season.

POCAHONTAS AREA 83, MOUNT VERNON 43 (Class 3A State Quarterfinal)

At Des Moines

MOUNT VERNON (43): Hayley Corkin 1-6 0-2 2, Libby Ryan 1-6 2-2 4, Jacque Murray 0-4 2-4 2, Kristen Elliott 1-9 3-4 6, Kaitlyn Volesky 9-14 2-3 20, Bailey Hauser 0-0 0-0 0, Catherine Yeoman 0-2 2-4 2, Lily Dahlstrom 0-3 0-0 0, Riley Clark 0-3 0-0 0, Haley Baker 0-1 0-0 0, Katheryn Opperman 0-0 0-0 0, McKenzie Hartl 0-0 0-0 0, Delaney Dicus 0-0 0-0 0, Ella Norton 2-3 2-2 6, Noelle Ossenkrop 0-0 1-2 1. Totals 14-51 14-23 43.

POCAHONTAS AREA (83): Faith Meyer 4-10 13-18 22, Payton Hjerleid 4-9 1-1 9, Elle Ruffridge 9-21 3-3 24, Grace Meyer 5-8 1-1 13, Autumn Radig 1-2 0-0 2, Ashlyn Weidauer 2-7 2-2 8, Danielle Neumann 1-1 0-0 2, Bailey Vainreb 0-0 0-0 0, Jocelyn Johnson 0-1 1-2 1, Olivia Ahlers 0-0 0-0 0, Katie Berte 0-0 0-0 0, Jill Vannahme 0-1 0-0 0, Kylea Fehr 0-0 0-0 0, Janie Brinkman 1-1 0-0 2, Kenzie Sullivan 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 27-61 21-27 83.

Halftime: Poky 53, Mount Vernon 28. 3-point goals: Mount Vernon 1-18 (Corkin 0-3, Ryan 0-3, Murray 0-3, Elliott 1-4, Volesky 0-1, Yeoman 0-2, Clark 0-1, Baker 0-2), Poky 8-30 (F.Meyer 1-6, Hjerleid 0-2, Ruffridge 3-9, G.Meyer 2-4, Weidauer 2-7, Johnson 0-1, Vannahme 0-1). Team fouls: Mount Vernon 23, Poky 22. Fouled out: Murray. Rebounds: Mount Vernon 37 (Volesky 11), Poky 41 (G.Meyer 11). Assists: Mount Vernon 9 (Elliott 3), Poky 13 (Ruffridge, G.Meyer 6). Steals: Mount Vernon 4 (four with 1), Poky 11 (G.Meyer 3). Turnovers: Mount Vernon 22, Poky 10.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com