Van Buren County’s girls basketball team picked up two road victories over the weekend, defeating Central Lee 60-44 on Friday night, January 30th, before grinding out a 45-35 win at Clark County, Missouri, on Saturday, January 31st. The Warriors improved to 13-7 overall and 9-5 in conference play, placing them in a third-place tie with West Burlington behind Mediapolis and Danville.
Friday: Van Buren County 60, Central Lee 44
The Warriors delivered one of their best performances of the season on Friday night, traveling to Central Lee for the Hawks’ senior night and coming away with a convincing 16-point victory. The win completed a season sweep of their conference rival, marking the first time Van Buren County has swept Central Lee since the 2020-21 season.
Game Summary
Van Buren County jumped out to a commanding early lead, building a 16-5 advantage with four minutes remaining in the first quarter and extending it to 22-8 with 3:11 left. Central Lee responded with a significant run while the Warriors went into a drought, cutting the deficit to 22-19 by the end of the opening period.
The second quarter belonged entirely to Van Buren County’s defense. Central Lee didn’t score a single point until 1:26 remained in the half and would manage just one more point on a free throw. The Warriors capitalized on the defensive stand to build a 38-22 halftime advantage. Van Buren County led 47-35 after three quarters before pulling away for the 60-44 final.
Individual Performances
Adalyn Snowgren led Van Buren County with 18 points and seven rebounds while adding two assists. Senior Marlee Mertens contributed 16 points, two rebounds, one steal, and one block. Senior Sophia Jirak posted an impressive double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds while distributing five assists and recording three steals. Daphny Wells added 10 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block to give the Warriors four players in double figures.
Kayley Snowgren grabbed five rebounds and scored two points while adding an assist. Aubrey Loeffler recorded one assist, and Elli Daugherty pulled down three rebounds. Ava Loeffler and Ali Pedretti also saw playing time off the bench.
Central Lee was led by Taylor Jones with 16 points on 5-of-14 shooting and Kenna Sandoval with 15 points on 5-of-15 shooting.
By the Numbers
Van Buren County shot 45.8% from the field (22-of-48), 31% from three-point range (9-of-29), and 58.3% from the free-throw line (7-of-12). The Warriors grabbed 34 rebounds, recorded 11 assists, four steals, and two blocks while committing 19 turnovers.
Central Lee shot 25.5% from the field (13-of-51), 16% from beyond the arc (4-of-25), and 66.7% from the charity stripe (14-of-21). The Hawks collected 31 rebounds, tallied nine assists and seven steals with no blocks, while committing 12 turnovers.
The victory followed Van Buren County’s earlier nail-biting 54-48 overtime win at home in Keosauqua on Tuesday, January 6th, completing the season sweep.
Saturday: Van Buren County 45, Clark County (MO) 35
The Warriors then traveled south to the Show Me State to Clark County, Missouri, on Saturday for their second consecutive year making the trip across the state line. The game was originally scheduled to be played in Keosauqua but was moved due to the conference boys wrestling tournament occupying the facility.
Van Buren County faced a winless Clark County squad (0-18) that had previously lost to Iowa opponents including Danville, Keokuk, and Fort Madison this season. The Warriors had defeated Clark County 57-40 in the previous season’s matchup.
Game Summary
The contest proved to be a physical, grinding affair. A slight rule difference in Missouri—the absence of a shot clock—didn’t significantly impact the game flow, but the officials allowed considerable contact, and Clark County played aggressively throughout.
Clark County seized the early momentum, jumping out to a 5-0 lead before Van Buren County scored to make it 5-3 with 5:30 remaining in the first quarter. The Indians extended their advantage to 13-6 by the end of the opening period.
The second quarter mirrored Friday’s game, with defense dominating. Clark County managed just one point in the entire quarter, allowing Van Buren County to take a slim 16-15 halftime lead. The Warriors extended their advantage to 34-26 after three quarters before holding on for the 45-35 victory.
Individual Performances
Adalyn Snowgren dominated on both ends of the floor with a massive double-double of 20 points and 19 rebounds while adding two assists, six steals, and one block. Marlee Mertens contributed 16 points, three rebounds, one assist, and two steals. Kayley Snowgren added four points, two rebounds, and four steals. Sophia Jirak grabbed nine rebounds to go with three points off of free throws, two assists, and two steals. Daphny Wells pulled down eight rebounds while scoring two points and recording one steal.
Aubrey Loeffler and Elli Daugherty each grabbed two rebounds. Ava Loeffler and Ali Pedretti also saw minutes off the bench.
By the Numbers
Van Buren County struggled offensively, shooting just 25.9% from the field (14-of-54) and 18.2% from three-point range (4-of-22), but made 48.1% of their free throws (13-of-27). The Warriors dominated the boards with 45 rebounds and forced turnovers with 15 steals and one block while recording five assists. They committed 15 fouls and 20 turnovers in the physical contest.
Coach’s Comments
Van Buren County Girls Basketball Head Coach Randy Smith praised his team’s Friday performance while acknowledging Saturday’s challenges. “We played our best game of the year on Friday. Going to play a good Central Lee team on their senior night in a really tough environment was going to be a challenge. It was a total team win with four players scoring in double digits, and our defense really controlled their best two players,” Smith said.
Regarding Saturday’s game, Smith noted the difficulty of maintaining intensity after an emotional victory. “Saturday was a really physical game which we won but had a bit of a letdown after a big win on Friday night,” he explained.
Looking Ahead
Van Buren County now sits at 13-7 overall and 9-5 in conference play, tied for third place with West Burlington behind conference leaders Mediapolis and Danville. The Warriors now await their opponent for the Southeast Iowa Super Conference Shootout versus a North Division school on Thursday, February 5th. Preliminary indications suggest they will play at Louisa-Muscatine, facing either the host Lady Falcons or Pekin.
The two weekend victories keep Van Buren County’s momentum rolling as they approach the postseason with their eyes on a strong finish to the regular season and a deep tournament run.
Photography courtesy of Jaime Moquin.
