0
0
CHEROKEE — The Iowa Prep Illustrated’s seventh-ranked in Class 3A Cherokee girls started their season with a 57-53 victory over non-conference school Sioux City West on Tuesday.
The guest Wolverines didn’t go down without a skirmish, as two players were ejected as a result of the incident. West High senior Dishaunnah Burgin threw a punch at Braves’ sophomore Deidra Doeden with 1:52 remaining in the game. Doeden had shoved Burgin.
This incident cast a somewhat shadow on the performance of Braves’ sophomore point guard Addy Wolfswinkel, who lead the charge with a game-high 25 points, marking her fifth game of her young varsity career having scored 20 or more points in a contest. Wolfswinkel was one point shy of her career-best (26) she posted at Storm Lake (Dec. 12, 2023). She added three rebounds, three steals and an assists before fouling out of the game.
With five minutes remaining to be played and the game tied 42-42, Wolfswinkel made six consecutive foul shots. As a team, Cherokee was 9-of-15 (60%) in the quarter.
It was a new-look Cherokee roster for the 2024-2025 season. Gone are graduates Carly Fuhrman, Aurora Christensen, and Harper Benson. Unfortunately, Addy Piggott a key piece in the success of past Braves teams moved out of the district. Piggott would have been a senior. Sophomores’ Ellana Mortenson and Mahren Malausky, junior Lola Christensen and senior Kassie Leeds are also gone. This year’s team has six freshmen and two sophomore newcomers.
Sioux City West scored the game’s first points, only to have Cherokee take the lead, until the teams were deadlocked at 11-11. Wolverines’ senior Hannah Burge put West back in front 13-11, converting a layup. Burge than nailed a 3-point basket to give West a 16-14 lead at the conclusion of one quarter.
Cherokee caught fire particularly Wolfswinkel in the second quarter, and Doeden connected for her first points. With 2-1/2 minutes to play in the first half, Kaiden Volkert’s layup have the Braves their first double-digit lead at 29-19. Cherokee took a 31-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Wolverines cut its deficit to three points (34-31), going on a 8-1 run, just before the Braves’ Macy Gravenish was whistled for her fourth personal foul. With 6:24 left to be played West again tied the game at 40-40. Senior forward Verra Grom gave West the lead with 5:24 remaining by sinking a pair of free throws (42-40).
A Volkert basket gave Cherokee a 46-45 lead inside three minutes remaining. It would be a lead Cherokee would maintain the remainder of the way. The skirmish began following Laney Wolfswinkel going down on her back on the floor, Doeden reacting, and Burgin’s punch being thrown at Doeden.
A notable different in the game came on the boards. Cherokee outrebounded West 33-28 with 18 of the Braves boards coming off the offensive glass, seven of those offensive rebounds belonging to Laney Wolfswinkel, who finished with a game-high 11 rebounds.
Doeden added eight rebounds, and was the only other Cherokee player to score in double figure’s with 10 points.
Cherokee finished the game 2-of-15 (13.3%) shooting from beyond the arch. The Braves failed to make a 3-point field goal in the second half.
Burge led West with 16 points, Grom added 15, and Mady Prevail connected for 10 points in the loss.
The win marks the sixth consecutive in the series between the two opponents for Cherokee. Cherokee also leads the all-time series 7-1 since 2019.
Cherokee (1-0) will resume play on Tuesday (Dec. 3) playing host to non-conference opponent Emmetsburg (1-1), who is coming off a seven point (40-33) loss to Spirit Lake on November 26. The depth of the Cherokee roster will be tested, as the ejection of Doeden cost her the suspension from the Emmetsburg game.
Sioux City West 16 – 7 (23) – 11 (34) – 19 = 53
Cherokee 14 – 17 (31) – 9 (40) – 17 = 57
Sioux City West Record: 0-1, 0-0; Cherokee Record: 1-0, 0-0.
CHEROKEE
McKenna Benson 2 2-2 6, Addy Wolfswinkel 8 8-13 25, Laney Wolfswinkel 4 1-3 9, Kadyn Volkert 3 0-0 7, Deidra Doeden 4 2-5 10, Macy Gravenish 0 0-0 0, Nora Hare 0 0-0 0, Jillian Paulsrud 0 0-0 0. Totals: 21-58 13-23 57.
3-Point Field Goals (2-15) — Volkert 1-4, A. Wolfswinkel 1-6, L. Wolfswinkel 0-1, Benson 0-4; Rebounds (36) — L. Wolfswinkel 11, Doeden 8, Volkert 6, A. Wolfswinkel 3, Gravenish 2, Hare 2, Benson 1; Assists (6) — L. Wolfswinkel 2, Volkert 2, A. Wolfswinkel 1, Doeden 1; Steals (8) — A. Wolfswinkel 3, Benson 2, Volkert 1, L. Wolfswinkel 1, Doeden 1; Blocks (3) — Volkert 1, Benson 1, L. Wolfswinkel 1.
