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Iowa-Grant and Highland have one thing in common...both school districts are close to each other.
The girls basketball teams from both schools observed the same type of closeness Thursday and it came down to the final three minutes before the outcome could be determined.
Host Iowa-Grant prevailed 36-33, closing out a very tight contest and giving the Panthers their second straight win.
Both teams are younger than most opponents and again, it was youth that provided the boost.
A pair of freshmen executed two plays resulting in baskets and a sophomore nailed down the win at the free throw line for Iowa-Grant.
A sophomore kept the Cardinals in it.
The Cardinals led by one with under three minutes to play but the Panthers fought their way into the lead when freshman Haley Yelinek found classmate Hailey Roth under the basket on out of bounds plays twice. Roth's first basket gave Iowa-Grant a one point lead and her second put them up three.
Sophomore Taylor Jackson then went to the line and dropped in a pair of free throws to ice it.
For the Cardinals, sophomore Brenna Bomkamp scored six of her 15 in the fourth quarter to give Highland a chance. But, after Jackson's throws the Cardinals could not find an answer. In fact the Panthers denied the Cardinals a shot.
"Hailey Roth had a big night with 15 points and nine rebounds," said Panther coach Jason Schulting. "Not bad for a freshman in her third varsity game. We moved her up over the holiday break because we had kids missing because of illness and holiday gatherings. She's showing she belongs. She's extremely aggressive in the post and gives us a little more size."
Schulting also credited Yelinek with a solid performance.
"Haley Yelinek had a nice game too. She knocked down three 3's in the second half. It seemed like each one came when we really needed it," Schulting said. "She doesn't have a conscience when it comes to shooting which is good. Usually freshman are afraid to shoot. She's not. She adds a dimension we haven't had in awhile."
Senior Grace Enloe also contributed for the Panthers, especially with her five rebounds and four steals.
"Grace had a solid all around game. She does a lot of the little things a team needs to win." Schulting said.
"Overall we are learning how to win these close games. It's giving us some confidence heading back into conference games. You can see we are improving each week. This group wants to get better and wants to succeed," the coach added.
Jackson was the assist leader for IG with four.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
H 7 3 12 11 33
IG 5 11 8 12 36
BOX SCORE
HIGHLAND 33: (fg-ft-tp) Drury 1-1-3, Wienkes 1-0-2, Bomkamp 7-2-16, Stanek 1-0-2, Rose 1-0-2, Yager 0-2-2, Laufenberg 3-0-6 Totals 14-5/14-33 Fouls-17
Fouled out-Yager
IOWA-GRANT 36: Richards 0-0-0, Wernimont 0-1-1, Winkers 0-0-0, Olson 0-0-0, Enloe 0-1-1, Roth 7-1-15, Yelinek 4-0-11. Jackson 1-6-8 Totals 12-9/15-36 Fouls-12
3 point goals:
IG-Yelinek 3