Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

TIFFIN – Karsyn Stratton has been putting up big numbers for three seasons at Clear Creek Amana.

Stratton hit a milestone number last week when pushed her career scoring total past 1,000 points in a win over South Tama.

Even as she joined a select club of 1,000-point scorers in CCA history the junior guard was only thinking about one number – six. As in number of wins.

That number is now seven after Clear Creek Amana (7-4) ran its winning streak to four with a victory over Vinton-Shellsburg on Tuesday and Stratton sees no reason it can’t keep growing.

“I think we can get on a roll here and put wins together,” Stratton said. “I think we have a great chance to win every game we have left.”

The Clippers’ leading scorer each of the past two seasons Stratton averaged 21.9 points per game a year ago and reached 1,000 points just 10 games into her junior season.

She eclipsed the mark with 22 points in a win over South Tama and now sits at 1,032 points for her career.

“It was pretty cool,” Stratton said. “Not many people in Clear Creek history have gotten to do that, I thought it was pretty cool to be a junior and be able to do that. I was a cool moment.”

Stratton has put more of her focus on the number 13 than any individual numbers.

As in 13 wins.

The Clippers went 13-10 two years ago during Stratton’s freshman season, the most wins for the program in more than a decade.

That is a number that Stratton believes should climb this season.

“I think we’ve started to click as a group,” Stratton said. “We have really good team chemistry, we know how everyone works on the team and we all seem to understand our roles.”

Stratton missed the season opener with an ankle injury and needed a little time to get into a groove but has been back to her regular self over the past several weeks.

She has scored at least 22 points in each game during the Clippers’ current four-game winning streak, averaging 24.8 points per game during that stretch.

Stratton is averaging 18.2 points per game this season while shooting 54 percent from the field.

The 5-foot-8 junior ranks second on the team in rebounding and assist and leads Clear Creek Amana in steals.

“I think (the injury) slowed me down just a little but I’ve come back a lot stronger and I’m starting to get on a roll,” Stratton said. “I was a little behind in conditioning, I had to get back my lungs and that conditioning but I’m getting going now.”

Rankings Update: City High and West High each held their spots in the latest Class 5A rankings while West Branch moved up one spot in Class 2A.

City High remained the top-ranked team in Class 5A while West High held at No. 11.

West Branch (12-2) moved up one spot to No. 13 in Class 2A.

Unbeatens: The number of unbeaten teams continues to shrink with just two 5A teams now without a loss.

Top-ranked City High (10-0) and Pleasant Valley (13-0) are the only 5A teams without a loss this season after previously unbeaten Cedar Falls fell at Cedar Rapids Prairie on Tuesday.

There are 16 remaining undefeated teams across all five classes with two each in 5A and 4A, one in Class 3A, seven in Class 2A and three in Class 1A.

Performances of the Week: City High junior Aubrey Joens had 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists in a 74-63 win over Waterloo East.

Liberty High junior Cora Saunders had 25 points and three rebounds in a 56-55 loss to Dubuque Wahlert.

Liberty High junior Sam McPherson had 18 points, nine assists and four rebounds in a 56-55 loss to Dubuque Wahlert.

West High senior Lauren Zacharias had 24 points, seven assists and five rebounds in a 71-60 win over Dubuque Hempstead.

Regina junior Sam Greving had 12 points and 12 rebounds in a 45-36 win over West Liberty.

Solon freshman Makinley Levin had 19 points and three rebounds in a 52-45 loss to West Delaware.