Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports  

TIFFIN – For three quarters Clear Creek Amana did everything necessary for a potential upset of eighth-ranked Grinnell.

The Clippers picked the absolute worst time for its only extended offensive struggles of the game.

Class 4A No. 14 Clear Creek Amana missed its first nine fourth-quarter field goal attempts as No. 8 Grinnell (2-0) pulled away for a 59-44 win over the Clippers on Thursday in a non-conference meeting or ranked teams in Tiffin.

“We had some looks from the players that we wanted to take shots and we just couldn’t knock them down,” Clear Creek Amana coach PJ Sweeney said. “It just seemed like the bounces just weren’t quite going our way.”

Clear Creek Amana (2-1) led for much of the first half, stayed within striking distance in the third quarter and trailed just 41-37 15 seconds into the fourth quarter after a Calia Clubb free throw.

The Clippers wouldn’t score again for nearly two minutes as the Tigers rattled off eight straight points.

Clear Creek Amana didn’t make a field goal until Bailey Olerich’s 3-point play with 1:24 left byt by that point Grinnell had taken control of the game with a 18-3 run to open the first quarter.

The Clippers were 1-of-15 from the field in the final quarter.

“We just couldn’t get one of those stretches where you get two or three stops in a row and make a couple baskets,” Sweeney said. “We were right there going into the fourth.”

Junior Kaylin Rotzoll had 10 of her team-high 15 points in the second quarter helping Clear Creek Amana build a 21-19 lead with 3:22 left in the opening half.

Grinnell used an 11-2 run to take a seven-point lead by the Clippers scored the final four points of the half on a pair of free throws by Emily Sly and a Rotzoll jumper.

Clear Creek Amana continued to navigate the run and jump full court pressure of Grinnell in the third quarter and trailed just 40-36 when Olivia Miller hit a jumper with 2:32 left in the quarter.

The Clippers had five turnovers in the fourth quarter but it was the continued pressure that seemed to wear on Clear Creek Amana late.

“I’m not sure how many turnovers we had but I thought for the most part we did a pretty decent job against their press every once in a while we got a little careless and got sped up a little bit but for the most part I think we did o.k.,” Sweeney said. “I just think over the totality of the game it kind of look a toll on us.”

Haidyn Hull had a game-high 16 points for Grinnell while junior Ivey Schmidt had 11 of her 15 points in the fourth quarter.

Clear Creek Amana senior Whitney Traetow joined Rotzoll in double figures with 10 points while Clubb had five points and 14 rebounds.

“We have a long way to go but I like where we are at,” Sweeney said. “We just need practice time, we just need to continue to get in the gym and learn and create that chemistry because I really like our team.”

Clear Creek Amana          9  18    9   8  –  44

Grinnell                                 9  21  11  18 –  59

Clear Creek Amana (44) – Whitney Traetow 4-10 1-4 10, Gabrielle Bedford 0-3 2-2 2, Kaylin Rotzoll 6-13 0-0 15, Olivia Miller 1-8 0-0 2, Bailey Olerich 1-2 1-1 3, Calia Clubb 2-5 1-2 5, Emily Sly 1-5 2-2 4, Ava Locklear 0-5 1-2 1, Morgan Etscheidt 1-1 0-0 2, Totals

Grinnell (59) – Keelie Eitel 4-9 0-1 10, Lauren Pease 1-1 0-0 3, Sydney Kenkel 0-2 1-2 1, Ivey Schmidt 5-19 4-4 15, Megan Mauss 0-2 0-0 0, Leah Harris 0-1 1-2 1, Katelyn Van Compernolle 2-2 0-0 4, Meredith McKnight 4-14 1-2 9, Haidyn Hull 6-14 0-1 16, Totals 22-64 7-12 59.

3-point field goals – CCA 4-22 (Traetow 1-5, Bedford 0-1, Rotzoll 3-10, Miller 0-4, Clubb 0-2), GRI 8-37 (Eitel 2-7, Pease 1-1, Kenkel 0-2, Schmidt 1-10, Mauss 0-2, McKnight 0-6, Hull 4-9). Rebounds – CCA 41 (Clubb 14), GRI 41 (Kenkel 8). Turnovers – CCA 19, GRI 12. Total fouls – CCA 12, GRI 15. Fouled out – None. Technical fouls – None.

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