By Mark Nesbitt
mnesbitt@
themonroetimes.com
ALBANY - The last time the Albany girls basketball team won a regional game, Albany junior Payton Zurfluh was a freshman.
Zurfluh scored a game-high 21 points and snagged 12 rebounds to lead the Comets to a 63-43 win over Juda in a WIAA Division 5 regional quarterfinal game Tuesday.
"We haven't won a regional game in two years," Zurfluh said. "This was a big step to win our first game at home. To win that first game is great."
It marks the third time this season the Comets have knocked off the Panthers. With the win, Albany (10-13) advances and will play at No. 1-ranked Black Hawk (23-0) in a regional semifinal Friday.
It wasn't easy the third time around against Juda. Albany junior Libby Beck scored her team's first six points and helped the Comets jump out to a 9-2 lead early in the first half. The advantage didn't last long as Juda senior Maddie Roth converted a rare four-point play to cut the Comets' lead to 9-6 with 13 minutes, 38 seconds left in the first half. Several moments later, Juda senior Hailey Kammerer scored on a layup to give the Panthers a 13-12 lead. The game was tied at 18 more than midway through the first half.
The Comets got hot shooting from the outside and closed the first half on a 20-4 run to take a 16-point lead at the break. Albany junior Megan Anderson knocked down a 3-pointer and Zurfluh buried two 3s during the surge. Albany senior Madeline Halverson scored down low and senior Brook Kahler scored on a layup before the buzzer to give the Comets a 38-22 lead at the half.
"When we went on that run it gave us the momentum back," Zurfluh said. "It got our confidence and energy back up."
It was a critical stretch where the Comets were hitting shots against the Panthers' 2-3 zone.
"That was probably the best 5-minutes of basketball we have played all year," Albany coach Derik Doescher said. "We played as a team and shot the ball well. Juda had to chase us the rest of the game. You could tell it took more energy for them to climb that mountain."
Beck finished with 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Kahler added 13 points and had eight rebounds. The Comets had a big edge on the boards, outrebounding the Panthers 39-19, led by Zurfluh.
"A lot of people don't look for a point guard to rebound," Doescher said of Zurfluh. "She's second on our team in rebounds per game and first in total rebounds because Libby Beck missed some games. She's a heck of a rebounder for a point guard. It's something we feel like we can do every game. Tonight we did it (rebounding) offensively and defensively."
Roth scored a team-high 12 points and hit two 3s to lead the Panthers. Juda's Taylor Golackson added 10 and senior Hailey Kammerer chipped in 8.
"We just wanted them to shoot from outside and they did," Juda coach Curt Brown said of the Comets. "We weren't able to dig out of the hole."
The Panthers shot 20.6 percent in the second half (6 of 29). Zurfluh hit a jumper and Kahler scored on a layup to give the Comets a 47-29 lead with 9:37 to go in the second half.
The Panthers did make a final push and cut the Comets' lead to 12 points twice within the final 6 minutes. Albany had 12 of its 18 turnovers in the second half. Juda senior MacKenzie Byrne knocked down a 3 to slice the Comets' lead to 51-38 with 5:26 left. Beck answered by scoring down low. Byrne made 1 of 2 free throws with 3:50 left to cut the Comets' lead to 12 points. Albany responded with Kahler scoring down low and Beck converting on a layup to push the Comets' lead back to 14 points, 57-43.
"I really just felt like they took us out of what we wanted to do offensively," Brown said. "Their defense was so disruptive to us. I have five seniors and they were not going to quit. They never stopped no matter what the score was. Every time we got within 11 or 12 points, they made a big shot or made some free throws."
Albany now gears up to face Black Hawk for a third time this year. The Warriors have knocked off the Comets twice this season.
"We know Black Hawk is No. 1 in the state," Zurfluh said. "We have nothing to lose."
Doescher is excited by the progress the Comets have made this year after winning just four games last season.
"I'm really proud of how far they have come," Doescher said. "The seniors have done a good job of leading. Things look good going into the future."
That future includes a regional semifinal showdown against Black Hawk in South Wayne Friday.
"The biggest thing I told the girls is we have to go down there and play loose," Doescher said of the upcoming game at Black Hawk. "They are one heck of a team not only in our conference and division, but in the entire state. The big thing is I want the girls to go there play hard and see what happens."
mnesbitt@
themonroetimes.com
ALBANY - The last time the Albany girls basketball team won a regional game, Albany junior Payton Zurfluh was a freshman.
Zurfluh scored a game-high 21 points and snagged 12 rebounds to lead the Comets to a 63-43 win over Juda in a WIAA Division 5 regional quarterfinal game Tuesday.
"We haven't won a regional game in two years," Zurfluh said. "This was a big step to win our first game at home. To win that first game is great."
It marks the third time this season the Comets have knocked off the Panthers. With the win, Albany (10-13) advances and will play at No. 1-ranked Black Hawk (23-0) in a regional semifinal Friday.
It wasn't easy the third time around against Juda. Albany junior Libby Beck scored her team's first six points and helped the Comets jump out to a 9-2 lead early in the first half. The advantage didn't last long as Juda senior Maddie Roth converted a rare four-point play to cut the Comets' lead to 9-6 with 13 minutes, 38 seconds left in the first half. Several moments later, Juda senior Hailey Kammerer scored on a layup to give the Panthers a 13-12 lead. The game was tied at 18 more than midway through the first half.
The Comets got hot shooting from the outside and closed the first half on a 20-4 run to take a 16-point lead at the break. Albany junior Megan Anderson knocked down a 3-pointer and Zurfluh buried two 3s during the surge. Albany senior Madeline Halverson scored down low and senior Brook Kahler scored on a layup before the buzzer to give the Comets a 38-22 lead at the half.
"When we went on that run it gave us the momentum back," Zurfluh said. "It got our confidence and energy back up."
It was a critical stretch where the Comets were hitting shots against the Panthers' 2-3 zone.
"That was probably the best 5-minutes of basketball we have played all year," Albany coach Derik Doescher said. "We played as a team and shot the ball well. Juda had to chase us the rest of the game. You could tell it took more energy for them to climb that mountain."
Beck finished with 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds. Kahler added 13 points and had eight rebounds. The Comets had a big edge on the boards, outrebounding the Panthers 39-19, led by Zurfluh.
"A lot of people don't look for a point guard to rebound," Doescher said of Zurfluh. "She's second on our team in rebounds per game and first in total rebounds because Libby Beck missed some games. She's a heck of a rebounder for a point guard. It's something we feel like we can do every game. Tonight we did it (rebounding) offensively and defensively."
Roth scored a team-high 12 points and hit two 3s to lead the Panthers. Juda's Taylor Golackson added 10 and senior Hailey Kammerer chipped in 8.
"We just wanted them to shoot from outside and they did," Juda coach Curt Brown said of the Comets. "We weren't able to dig out of the hole."
The Panthers shot 20.6 percent in the second half (6 of 29). Zurfluh hit a jumper and Kahler scored on a layup to give the Comets a 47-29 lead with 9:37 to go in the second half.
The Panthers did make a final push and cut the Comets' lead to 12 points twice within the final 6 minutes. Albany had 12 of its 18 turnovers in the second half. Juda senior MacKenzie Byrne knocked down a 3 to slice the Comets' lead to 51-38 with 5:26 left. Beck answered by scoring down low. Byrne made 1 of 2 free throws with 3:50 left to cut the Comets' lead to 12 points. Albany responded with Kahler scoring down low and Beck converting on a layup to push the Comets' lead back to 14 points, 57-43.
"I really just felt like they took us out of what we wanted to do offensively," Brown said. "Their defense was so disruptive to us. I have five seniors and they were not going to quit. They never stopped no matter what the score was. Every time we got within 11 or 12 points, they made a big shot or made some free throws."
Albany now gears up to face Black Hawk for a third time this year. The Warriors have knocked off the Comets twice this season.
"We know Black Hawk is No. 1 in the state," Zurfluh said. "We have nothing to lose."
Doescher is excited by the progress the Comets have made this year after winning just four games last season.
"I'm really proud of how far they have come," Doescher said. "The seniors have done a good job of leading. Things look good going into the future."
That future includes a regional semifinal showdown against Black Hawk in South Wayne Friday.
"The biggest thing I told the girls is we have to go down there and play loose," Doescher said of the upcoming game at Black Hawk. "They are one heck of a team not only in our conference and division, but in the entire state. The big thing is I want the girls to go there play hard and see what happens."
