Linn-Mar Girls Basketball

J-Hawk girls run and gun past Linn-Mar

The Jefferson girls are once again the runnin,’ gunnin’ J-Hawks.

Decimated by injuries last season, Jeffferson's five senior regulars are all back at full speed.

And unlike a year ago they have some underclassmen to come off the bench to spell the starters.

“We’ve got a lot of fast girls on the team,” said mile-a-minute talker and speedster Rachel Broghammer, also a star on the track team.  “We figure we can use that to our advantage. We can get down the court before the other team sets up. And we’ve all got fresh legs for a change.”

In a fast-paced up-and-down-the-floor home game Friday night, the newly energized J-Hawks ran Linn-Mar out of the J-Hawk gym in an entertaining 69-56 victory.

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Kennedy defense stifles Linn-Mar girls

Kennedy stepped up its defensive play and kept its record clean, beating host Linn-Mar 49-31 Tuesday night in a non-conference matchup of Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball  foes.

Linn-Mar (2-3) led 12-9 at the end of the first quarter, but an aggressive Kennedy defense only allowed one point in the second quarter and only 18 more points in the second half.

“Defensively we seemed to find our niche tonight,” said Kennedy Coach Tony Vis.  “We look like we are building a belief that we can be successful and, as a first year coach, it’s important for us to be 4-0 early in the season.”

Jordan Holmes took control for the Class 5A No. 9 Cougars.  She directed the offense and scored 16 points, including all three of Kennedy’s 3-point baskets. Stephanie Botkin was also in double figures with 11.

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Linn-Mar girls fall in OT to No. 5 West

IOWA CITY - Iowa City West had a seven-point advantage at the free-throw line that proved to be the difference Friday night and the Women of Troy beat Linn-Mar, 54-47, in overtime in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball game.

No. 5 West outscored Linn-Mar 9-2 in overtime.

Ally Disterhoft led West with 22 points. She knocked down 10 of 12 free throws.

Sara Strauel led Linn-Mar (2-2, 1-1) with 17 points. Kristen Eiles added 11.

Both teams made 17 field goals and both had five 3-pointers. West outscored the Lions 15-8 at the charity stripe.

West shot 10 more free throws than Linn-Mar. The Lions were whistled for 14 fouls, West 10.

Linn-Mar held a 25-21 lead at halftime.

LINN-MAR (47): Taylor Robertson 0 0-0 0, Hannah Yearling 2 0-0 5, Mykaela Brandt 1 0-0 2, Michal Christopher 0 0-0 0, Sara Strauel 6 5-5 17, Jenna Harms 2 0-0 4, Kristen Eiles 4 0-0 11, Courtney Major 1 1-2 4, Alexis Libenguth 1 2-4 4. Totals 17 8-11 47.

IOWA CITY WEST (54): Ally Disterhoft 5 10-12 22, Grace Tafolla 3 0-0 6, Laynie Whitehead 0 1-2 1, Danielle Craig 2 3-4 9, Mollie Mason 0 0-0 0, Lauren Larson 0 1-2 1, Mikaela Morgan 7 0-1 15, Hannah Fairfield 0 0-0 0. Totals 17 15-21 54.

Halftime - Linn-Mar 25, Iowa City West 21. End of regulation - Linn-Mar 45, Iowa City West 45. 3-point goals - Linn-Mar 5 (Eiles 3, Yearling, Major), Iowa City West 5 (Disterhoft 2, Craig 2, Morgan). Fouls - Linn-Mar 14, Iowa City West 10. Fouled out - None.

Linn-Mar girls rally past Hempstead

The Linn-Mar Lions enjoyed opening night in the Mississippi Valley Conference Tuesday with a 44-32 victory over Dubuque Hempstead at home.

The Lions (2-1, 1-0) were paced by Sara Strauel with 15 points. Mykaela Brandt and Kristen Eiles added seven points apiece.

Strauel scored 13 of her points in the second half as Linn-Mar rallied from a 19-17 halftime deficit.

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