Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

NORTH LIBERTY – Jamie Brandt explained early in the season how Liberty High players and coaches work around having two players named Natalie.

Junior forward Natalie Ramsey is ‘Big Nat’.

Freshman Natalie Schechinger is ‘Little Nat’.

Both Natalies came up huge on Tuesday.

Natalie Ramsey had a double-double with 21 points and 13 rebounds and Natlie Schechinger hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the fourth quarter as Class 5A No. 12 Liberty High held off No. 11 Cedar Falls 49-46 in a Mississippi Valley Conference thriller on Tuesday in North Liberty.

“The wins aren’t always pretty but we do what we need to do,” Ramsey said. “We had a lot of people make big plays today.”

Ramsey and Schechinger combined to score all 10 Liberty High points in the fourth quarter as Liberty High won its second game in as many days over a ranked opponent.

Liberty High (11-3) used a last second layup by senior Janessa Mosley to win at Class 4A third-ranked Maquoketa on Monday.

On Tuesday it was Ramsey and Schechinger who made plays late.

“Back-to-back nights we’ve played two really good teams and two really well-coached teams, two really good defensive teams but I’m just proud of how we’ve responded,” Liberty High coach Jamie Brandt said. “Last night was a close one, we hit a bucket with a few seconds left and tonight we hit some free throws late and I think it just shows our growth and our maturity.”

Liberty High watched a 27-20 halftime deficit disappear early in the fourth quarter.

Cedar Falls’ Grace Hannam scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to give the Tigers their first lead at 41-39 with 6:33 to play.

Ramsey scored the next five points, giving the Lightning a 44-41 lead with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 5:24 to play.

Cedar Falls (11-4) answered with a 5-0 run capped by a driving layup by Karis Finley that gave the Tigers a 46-44 lead with 2:31 remaining.

That would be the final points for Cedar Falls.

“We just keep staying together and fighting through it,” Schechinger said. “We always have each other’s back and we are always picking each other up.”

It was the Natalies that connected for the biggest play of the game.

Ramsey drove into the lane and drew a trio of defenders before pitching the ball to an open Schechinger on the left wing.

“I was driving and there were three people on me and I saw Natalie was open so I kicked it to her,” Ramsey said. “She nailed it.”

Schechinger’s 3-pointer gave Liberty High a 47-46 lead with 2:10 remaining.

The Lightning never let that lead slip away.

“Natalie (Ramsey) drove and they triple teamed her and she was looking at the corner and I kind of slid to the open spot and the ball came to me,” Schechinger said. “I knew I had to shoot it.”

The late 3-pointer was the only shot attempt for Schechinger on Tuesday.

Ava Casey and Janessa Mosley each had eight points and Madeline Casey had six points for the Lightning.

“You don’t have to force things because we have a lot of shooters,” Schechinger said. “You just have to wait for your turn, don’t force anything and your time will come.”

The win was the fourth straight for Liberty High which will host Linn-Mar on Friday and travel to eighth-ranked Waukee on Saturday.

Finley had 15 points and Hannam had nine points and 10 rebounds for Cedar Falls which had a three-game winning streak snapped with the loss.

“I think the last couple of years we wouldn’t be in this position so I am just proud of how hard they are working,” Brandt said. “This time of year every single win matters for that post season run.”

Cedar Falls                 6   14  16  10  –  46

Liberty High             13  14  12  10  –  49         

Cedar Falls (46) – Gabie Hanks 0-14 3-4 3, Mattie Dieken 1-2 1-2 4, Sophie Stanic 4-12 0-0 9, Jordann Oakland 2-2 0-0 6, Karis Finley 5-15 4-6 15, Emma Jacobs 0-3 0-0 0, Grace Hannam 4-8 1-3 9, Totals 16-56 10-16 46.

Liberty High (49) – Ava Casey 3-5 1-2 8, Janessa Mosley 4-6 0-0 8, Natalie Schechinger 1-1 0-0 3, Sydney Van Heukelom 0-1 0-0 0, Madilyn Meyer 1-4 0-0 3, Natalie Ramsey 9-20 2-2 21, Madeline Casey 2-9 0-0 6, Totals 20-46 3-4 49.

3-point field goals – Cedar Falls 4-25 (Hanks 0-9, Dieken 1-2, Stanic 0-2, Oakland 2-2, Finley 1-7, Jacobs 0-3), Liberty High 6-19 (A. Casey 1-2, Mosley 0-1, Schechinger 1-1, Meyer 1-4, Ramsey 1-3, M. Casey 2-8). Rebounds – Cedar Falls 35 (Hannam 10), Liberty High 34 (Ramsey 13). Total fouls – Cedar Falls 9, Liberty High 14. Turnovers – Cedar Falls 10, Liberty High 19. Fouled out – Liberty High (Mosley). Technical fouls – None.

Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.