Lady Mustangs no match for Jefferson’s press

By Phil Cobb | January 31, 2017 |

Jefferson defenders Stephanie Chor and Kelsi McQuinn pressure down on North Nodaway’s Audrey Trimble as the press by the Eagles force 28 turnovers in total. Jefferson would go on to win 63-34 Tuesday in Hopkins.

It didn’t take long for the Jefferson Lady Eagles to prove that their press was a force to be reckoned with as the North Nodaway Mustangs struggled often throughout the game.

Steals and transition baskets from that press were key components of Jefferson’s 63-34 win at Hopkins Tuesday night. The Eagles forced 28 turnovers against the Mustangs in total.

After scoring in the first 30 seconds, the Eagles went to work with their press, scoring the next two baskets in transition.

Using its size, North Nodaway fought back to a 6-6 tie with the help of sisters Ashley and Madison Thompson in the paint.

Going back to work, the Eagles kept the Mustangs scoreless for the remaining 3:40 of the first quarter to build a 15-6 lead into the second quarter.

Jefferson’s press continued to cause North Nodaway problems, allowing the Eagles to tack on a number of points for a comfortable 25-14 lead that only grew with 3-pointers at the hands of Mikayla Mattson and Stephanie Chor. The two combined for four of five of Jefferson’s 3’s with Chor nailing three of them and Amber White adding the fifth late in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles ended the first half up 31-14 with no signs of letting up.

Josie Deen was matched up against North Nodaway’s Madison Thompson. Despite lacking about a foot against the Mustang senior, she made up for it in effort.

“What she lacks in size, she definitely makes up for it in toughness and effort,” Jefferson coach Tyler Pedersen said of his junior. “She does a good job of playing hard, and when you play hard like that good things will happen.”

The Thompson girls were forced into foul trouble early on and didn’t see as much playing time as they would have liked, and the Eagles jumped out to an explosive 8-0 start to the second half. It took nearly five minutes for the Mustangs to put away their first basket, but it initiated a six-point run for North Nodaway. The Mustangs ended up scoring eight of the last 10 points of the half, but Jefferson’s early damage was done, and it took a 44-26 lead into the fourth quarter.

Slowing possession, Jefferson handled the ball in a fashion to run down the clock, but still managed a 20-4 fourth quarter over the Mustangs to coast the final two minutes with junior varsity playing the remainder of the way.

North Nodaway and Jefferson both return to action Friday, Mustangs hosting East Atchison and Jefferson hosting Stewartsville, both beginning at 6 p.m.

JEFFERSON (18-2): Mikayla Mattson 12, Stephanie Chor 11, Josie Deen 11, Kayla Schmitz 10, Sarah Chor 9, Kelsi McQuinn 5, Amber White 3, Kellie Palmer 2. Totals 17 14-19 63. 3-point goals: 5 (St Chor 3, Mattson, White).

NORTH NODAWAY (11-8): Ashley Thompson 8, Alisha Davison 6, Kristin Herndon 5, Madison Thompson 5, Bethany Herndon 4, Kandace Damgar 4, Audrey Trimble 2. Totals 14 3-6 34. 3-point goals: 1 (K Herndon).