Central Athletics News February 5
Central College
First-place Luther outshoots Central men
PELLA—Iowa Conference leader Luther College played with precision in posting a 68-51 victory over the Central College men’s basketball team Saturday.
The Norse (14-7 overall, 11-2 conference) strengthened their hold on first place, shooting an efficient 56.3 percent from the field, including 62.5 percent in the first half, and committed just 10 turnovers in the game. Central (11-10 overall, 7-6 conference) was up 11-10 with 12:17 left in the first half, but Luther quickly regained the lead and never trailed again in handing the Dutch their second straight home-court defeat.
“They played good basketball,” coach Mike Boschee said. “They defended really well and on offense they always made the extra pass. They made a lot of plays late in the shot clock, which championship teams do.”
Boschee said Central matched Luther’s intensity, but not its execution.
“I thought we had a championship-type effort,” he said. “We played hard. But offensively, we didn’t play together. We weren’t patient like you need to be against good defensive teams.”
Central outrebounded Luther 28-25 but shot just 40.0 percent on its home floor and made 16 turnovers.
“Turnovers have been a problem for us all year long,” Boschee said. “And we’re not assisting very well. You put a lot of pressure on your defense when you’re doing that.”
Center Jack Bruns (junior, Story City, Roland-Story HS) had 13 points and five reobounds while guard Demarco Turner (senior, Des Moines, East HS) had 10 points. Forward James Chapline (senior, Ogden) had eight points and a team-high six rebounds.
Central closes its home-season schedule Wednesday with a women’s-men’s league doubleheader against Simpson College. The women’s game starts at 6 p.m. at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium with the men’s game at 8 p.m. Simpson defeated the Dutch at Indianola Jan. 12, 82-72. Simpson dropped an 80-73 decision at home to Coe Saturday and is 9-12 overall with a 6-6 league mark.
A video webstream and live stats for both Central games will be available through the Dutch athletics website at www.central.edu/athletics.
Big Luther 2nd half topples Central women
PELLA—Central College yielded the last nine points of the first half and never recovered in a 70-64 Iowa Conference women’s basketball loss to Luther College Saturday.
The Dutch (4-18 overall, 1-12 conference) were quick out of the blocks, taking a 7-2 lead and going up 28-18 with 2:52 left in the half. But Luther (6-16 overall, 2-11 conference) finished the half with a 9-0 run.
“We never got anything going during that time,” coach Jerry Nikkel said. “We had three shots we missed in that stretch that weren’t very good shots. We never really got set. That hurt.”
The Norse moved in front 36-35 with 16:22 remaining in the second half and never trailed again. Luther forward Sam Jewell led all scorers with 24 points.
“In the second half we had a hard time stopping her,” Nikkel said. “She got around us on the baseline. She’s no taller than we are but she played a little smarter than we did.”
Guard Sarah Paulson (junior, Ottumwa) had 15 points and five rebounds for the Dutch while forward Haley Brillhart (junior, Pella) nearly posted a double-double with 13 points and nine boards. Guard Jordan Waddell (senior, Guthrie Center) returned to the starting lineup and had 13 points.
Central was outrebounded 41-34 and outshot 43.1 percent to 33.3.
Central wraps up its home-season schedule Wednesday with a women’s-men’s league doubleheader against Simpson College. The women’s game starts at 6 p.m. at P.H. Kuyper Gymnasium. Simpson, which rolled past the Dutch 106-58 in Indianola Jan. 12, is 17-4 overall and 11-1 in conference play after suffering its first league loss at home Saturday to Coe, 81-79.
A video webstream and live stats for both Central games Saturday will be available through the Dutch athletics website at www.central.edu/athletics.
Central men’s tennis team sweeps at home
PELLA—After a tough opener last weekend, the Central College men’s tennis team picked up its first two wins of the season, sweeping Loras College 9-0 before defeating Morningside College 8-1.
Improving to 2-2, Central had four singles players score two wins. Dan Bowser (senior, Fort Dodge) was 2-0 at No. 1 singles, with Seth Harris (junior, Waverly, Neb., Waverly HS) winning at No. 2, Kyle Freischlag (freshman, Downers Grove, Ill., Downers Grove South HS) at No. 4, and Zane Hendricks (freshman, Fort Dodge) at No. 5 against Loras and No.6 against Morningside.
The Dutch were undefeated in doubles with Bowser and Harris getting two victories at No. 1 doubles, Bryn Boswell (sophomore, Pella) and Jacob Dreyer (senior, Cedar Falls) going 2-0 at No. 2, and Freischlag and Hendricks winning twice at No. 3.
Loras stumbles to a 0-2 start while Morningside’s campaign kicks off at 1-1.
Central’s next eight matches are on the road, including a trip to Dallas, Texas, over spring break. The Dutch start their road tour in Decorah, taking on defending Iowa Conference champion Luther College at noon Saturday.
