Ballard of Huxley showed why it is the top ranked team in 3A. The Bombers raced out to a 35-10 lead at the half enroute to a 60-36 win over Harlan. Ballard coach Merle Olberding says it’s always nice to win the first game and the first four minutes were key as they came out and hit their shots and got into a comfort Zone.
The Bombers connected on 52% in the first half in building the lead. Senior Amber Leinen led Harlan with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Leinen says Harlan was one of the best teams they’ve played all year and very tough.
Defending 3A champion Sioux City Heelan overcame a chilly start and went on to down Dubuque Wahlert 46-34. The Crusaders trailed 7-4 at the end of one quarter of play but outscored the Golden Eagles 18-9 in the second quarter to take command.
Heelan guard Carli Tritz says the rankings don’t matter and the fact they won last year doesn’t matter in the state tournament this year. Wahlert made only 11 of 45 shots and finished the game by hitting only 23 percent.
Wahlert coach Kris Spiegler says they couldn’t get into any flow in the game. She says once they got something going then they would get a call that would give the ball back to the other team and they just couldn’t make baskets.