Bulldogs champions of UIC big division
Wins over North Fayette Valley and New Hampton last week clinched the Upper Iowa Conference big division championship for the MFL MarMac girls basketball team. The Bulldogs had a 12-3 Upper Iowa Conference record, finishing two games ahead of South Winneshiek. (Photo submitted)
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
Wins over North Fayette Valley and New Hampton last week clinched the Upper Iowa Conference big division championship for the MFL MarMac girls basketball team.
The Bulldogs handily defeated the TigerHawks 46-26 in West Union on Feb. 3. NFV scored just six points the entire first half and was held to under 16 percent shooting for the whole game. MFL MarMac, meanwhile, capitalized on 25 TigerHawk turnovers and knocked down an impressive seven three-pointers.
Three came from leading scorer Olivia Driscoll, who had 17 points. The freshman’s stat line also included four rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Evelyn Fritz chipped in nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals off the bench, while Samantha Ruff added six points, four rebounds and three assists. Defensively, she had four steals and two blocks.
MFL MarMac followed that up with a narrow 56-53 non-conference loss to Independence—a team currently ranked 14th in Class 4A. After trailing early, the Bulldogs fought their way back to hang with the Mustangs through the rest of the game, even taking the lead late in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t hold on down the stretch.
Blair Winter boosted the Bulldogs with 19 points and nine rebounds, in addition to two assists and a steal. Driscoll put up 18 points along with three rebounds, two steals and an assist. Cora Keehner finished the game with six points and nine rebounds, while Ruff picked up six points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal.
The Bulldogs got back in the win column Feb. 6, in a 58-30 victory at New Hampton. They led throughout the night, holding the Chickasaws to nine points or fewer in each quarter. The defensive effort included 13 steals and five blocks and limiting New Hampton to just eight offensive rebounds.
The offense was solid too, led by 13 points from Winter. The freshman reached a double-double with 10 rebounds and topped the assist and block columns with four apiece. She also snagged a pair of steals.
Driscoll knocked down two shots from behind the arc for half of her 12 points. Her stat line included four rebounds, three assists and two steals as well.
Sister Emma Driscoll was a perfect three for three from long range, accounting for all of her nine points. She grabbed four rebounds and dished out two assists.
The win gave the Bulldogs a 12-3 conference record this season. They finished first in the big school division, two games ahead of South Winneshiek.
The team closed out the regular season Feb. 10, against another ranked opponent in Springville, who’s fourth in Class 1A. Postseason play will begin Tuesday, Feb. 17, against Beckman Catholic. Tip-off for the Class 2A - Region 5 game will be at 7 p.m. in Monona.
