MOUNT VERNON — Linn-Mar built a 17-2 first-quarter lead and then withstood a persistent Mount Vernon rally to beat the Mustangs, 64-60, Saturday night (Dec. 4) in a nonconference game.

The game matched defending state champions. Linn-Mar won the Class 4A title last year and Mount Vernon was Class 2A champion. Both teams are highly rated again this year. Linn-Mar (4-0) is No. 3 in 4A and Mount Vernon (2-1) is No. 2 in 3A.

Linn-Mar destroyed Mount Vernon Coach Bob Kintzel’s strategy to pack the post and Lions’ star Kiah Stokes at the start of the game by making its first seven shots, including five 3-pointers, to build a 17-2 lead.

“You always have to be concerned about Kiah,” Kintzel said. “I think their guards really stepped up for them. They dug us into a large hole.”

The Connecticut-bound Stokes still ended up with 20 points and 13 rebounds.  Jenna Eells canned 5-of-6 3-pointers and had 19 points. Mykaela Brandt scored 14.

Kintzel said he had jumped at the chance to play Linn-Mar when the Lions came up with an open date last spring.  The Mustangs also had a date open up because Grinnell no longer wanted to play a boy-girl doubleheader.

“We could have played North Cedar, but I felt it would do our program more justice with a bigger challenge against Linn-Mar,” Kintzel said. “I felt we both were great teams last year with enough good players back to make it a great challenge for both of us.”

Kintzel chuckled when asked if he thought that was still a good idea when Linn-Mar bolted to a 17-2 lead.

“I had a couple of parents come up to me after the game and ask me what I was thinking,” he said. “But I told my kids at halftime not to look at the scoreboard and keep working on what we’ve been doing in the preseason and to this point.

“They didn’t try to get it all back at once. They kept chipping away and before you knew it, it was a six-point game with about three minutes left.”

Mount Vernon made all five of its 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including four by Liz Skotowski, to cut Linn-Mar’s lead to two with 20 seconds left.  The Lions made a pair of free throws to put the game away.

“A loss is always hard to accept,” Kintzel said. “But this is the first time I can walk out of the gym and feel good about a loss.”

Linn-Mar’s next game is Tuesday at home against Jefferson.

LINN-MAR (64): Leandra Martins 0 0-0 0, Mykaela Brandt 4 5-6 14, Sara Strauel 0 0-0 0, Rachel Thrune 1 0-0 2, Kailee Karr 3 2-5 9, Shanice Cheatham 0 0-0 0, Jenna Eells 6 2-4 19, Courtney Major 0 0-0 0, Kiah Stokes 9 2-4 20. Totals 23 11-19 64.

MOUNT VERNON (60): Miranda Chapman 0 0-0 0, Kylea Weber 0 2-2 2, Sarah Ryan 1 1-3 3, Liz Skotowski 6 5-5 21, Taylor Dicus 1 2-2 4, Courtney Kintzel 3 0-0 6, Micah Wieditz 2 2-2 7, Amanda Platte 7 3-5 17. Totals 20 15-19 60.

Halftime — Linn-Mar 35, Mount Vernon 21. 3-pointers — Linn-Mar 7 (Eells 5, Brandt, Karr), Mount Vernon 5 (Skotowski 4, Wieditz). Rebounds — Linn-Mar 21 (Stokes 13), Mount Vernon 23 (Kintzel 10). Fouls — Linn-Mar 14, Mount Vernon 16. Fouled out — None.