JV divides pair of games

Junior varsity

     Monticello’s junior varsity split a pair of girls basketball teams to head into the holiday break with a record of 5-2.

     The Panthers played at Iowa City Regina Dec. 13, and won 40-24. Carly Hayen led the way with 10 points, and Sydney Hansen added nine. Jaelynn Kraus scored five. Maria Recker, Emily Schlarmann and Payton Jaeger scored four points apiece. Aspen Gillmore and Gabrielle Steiner had two each.

     “Regina had a record of 5-0 coming into the game, so we knew we needed to play a solid game,” Monticello coach Chuck Welsch said. “Hayen did a great job rebounding and played good help defense in the lane. Schlarmann had an outstanding defensive game.”

     On Dec. 16, the Panthers played host to Cascade, and lost 48-32. Monticello fell behind 32-10 by halftime before outscoring the Cougars 22-16 in the second half.

     “Cascade came out with a lot of energy and we did not, which put us in a deep hole,” Welsch said. “We came out in the second half and played a lot harder on both ends of the floor.”

     Kraus scored 10 points, Gillmore had nine, Hayen had six, and Schlarmann added four. Lydia Franzenburg and Emmi Sampson scored two points apiece.

     The Panthers were scheduled to play host to Midland Dec. 17, but the JV games were cancelled due to poor weather.

Seventh grade

     Two wins closed out the season for the Monticello Black seventh-grade girls basketball team.

     On Dec. 26, the Black defeated Anamosa 26-13 in Monticello. The Red played two games against Anamosa, losing 24-8 and 8-6.

     Monticello then played host to North Cedar Dec. 18, and won 14-11. The Red lost 34-4.

     Prior to the two wins, the Black played at Cascade Dec. 5 and lost 33-13.

     “The girls ended the season with two wins, so I feel good for them,” coach Joe Steen said. “This group worked hard all year and was getting better each game.”

     The Black finished the season with a 4-8 record, while the Red was 1-9.