Offensive rebounds and defense was the name of the game.

The No. 7 ranked Washington Warriors collected an astonishing 27 offensive rebounds and defeated the Jefferson J-Hawks 74-41 Friday night in a Mississippi Valley Conference girls basketball game at the Jefferson gym.

Washington moved to 14-3 overall, 11-2 in the MVC. Jefferson dropped to 5-11, 4-9.

A rare statistical feat was achieved by the Warriors. The visitors had more offensive rebounds than defensive (26) and dominated the J-Hawks, 53-21, in rebounding. Also, 12 Warriors hit the scoring column. Washington also drilled nine 3-point baskets and held Jefferson scoreless for the first 10 minutes of the game.

“I was really pleased with our defensive effort the first part of the game,” Warriors Coach Frank Howell said. “We did a good job getting some offensive rebounds and the combination of guarding well on one end and getting some second chance opportunities on the other end was the key.”

Howell was uncertain whether the 27 offensive rebounds was a school record.

Washington led 9-0 at the end of the first quarter. Jefferson’s first field goal came with 6:16 left in the second quarter, which made it 14-2. Washington scooted away to a 38-11 lead at halftime and 60-26 after three periods.

“That was important,” Howell said of the defense to start the game. “That is something we are going to have to keep doing if we want to get to the state tournament.”

Washington played their seventh consecutive game without assistant coach Jason Edwards, whose father, Johnnie, passed away in Columbus, Ohio, last week. The funeral was Friday (January 28). Edwards is an academic counselor at Jefferson.

“We have been without coach Edwards for three weeks,” Howell said. “It has helped to create probably an extra heartbeat for our team. We knew that if we played well, that would make coach Edwards feel better. We are ready for him to be back.”

Edwards is expected to return to Cedar Rapids this weekend or early next week.

Tia Dawson led the Warriors with 12 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. She scored all nine of her team’s points in the first quarter and had eight offensive rebounds during the game. Ashley Piper swished three from behind the arc and finished with 13 points and six boards. Abby Herb played one of her best games of the season with seven points and six rebounds, while Layloni Beard and Alissa Oney each added eight points in a balanced Warrior attack.

Taylor Jacobson had 10 points to lead the J-Hawks and Kaitlyn Davidson added nine.

The Warriors hit 9-of-27 from 3-point range (33 percent), 5-of-12 free throws (42 percent) and 30-of-79 from the field overall (38 percent). Five players hit at least one 3-pointer.

Jefferson nailed 3-of-10 from behind the arc (30 percent), 15-of-52 overall (29 percent) and 8-of-20 foul shots (40 percent).

Washington committed just 11 turnovers. Jefferson had 16.

WASHINGTON (74) Jazz Royster 2 1-2 5, Tia Dawson 6 0-2 12, Jordon Pilcher 1 0-2 2, Alissa Oney 3 0-0 8, Ashley Piper 5 0-0 13, Janay Pritchett 1 1-2 4, Madison Kramer 2 0-0 6, Tasha Roundtree 0 0-0 0,  Layloni Beard 4 0-0 8, Gail Barnum 1 0-0 3, Jordan Carr 1 0-0 2, Kelli Klaus 1 0-0 2, Chelsey McMahon 0 0-0 0, Abby Herb 2 3-3 7, Brooke Foreman 1 0-0 2,  Lauren Goodlove 0 0-0 0, Callie Stone 0 0-0 0. Totals 30 5-11 74.

JEFFERSON (41) Dani Stromert 1 0-0 3, Alleigha Green 1 0-0 2, Kaitlyn Davidson 3 1-2 9, Madison Blietz 1 1-2 3, Taylor Jacobson 3 4-7 10, Rachel Broghammer 3 2-9 8, Brittney Steffeny 3 0-0 6. Totals 15 8-20 41.

Halftime -- Washington 38, Jefferson 11. 3-Point Goals – Washington 9 (Piper 3, Oney 2, Kramer 2, Pritchett, Barnum). Jefferson 3 (Steffeny 2, Stromert).