North Fayette Valley hands Bulldogs their first conference loss
Ashley Shaw had a big night off the bench against Clayton Ridge, contributing 10 points. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Mackenzy Ruff and the Bulldog defense held off the Eagles for a 14-point win on Jan. 5.
In the Jan. 5 win over Clayton Ridge, Riley Moreland had yet another double-double for MFL MarMac, with 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Hannah Bogdonovich flips a pass to teammate Ashley Shaw.
Carlie Jones works her way past some Clayton Ridge defenders.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The MFL MarMac girls basketball team kicked off the 2021 portion of its schedule last week, grabbing a win over Clayton Ridge before suffering just its third loss of the season against undefeated North Fayette Valley.
The Bulldogs hosted Clayton Ridge Jan. 5, winning 48-34 thanks to a big second half. Although MFL MarMac jumped ahead 9-6 in the first quarter, the Eagles had the better second period, giving them a 19-17 lead heading into halftime. The Bulldogs responded in the third, though, going on an 18-8 run that put them ahead 35-27. They only increased the lead in the final period, winning by 14 points despite shooting under 20 percent from the field.
Junior Riley Moreland had yet another double-double for MFL MarMac, with 22 points and 10 rebounds—eight of which were on the defensive end. She also had three of the team’s five blocks and snagged two steals. Sophomore Ashley Shaw had a big night off the bench, contributing 10 points and four rebounds, along with two assists and two steals. Mackenzy Ruff chipped in five points and seven rebounds, while Grace Anderson’s stat line included five points, two steals, a block and a rebound.
The Bulldogs headed to NFV on Jan. 8, hoping to remain unbeaten in the Upper Iowa Conference. But the 9-0 TigerHawks wanted the top spot for themselves, running away with a 59-35 victory. The game remained close early, with NFV up just 11-9 after the first quarter. The Bulldog offense went cold in the second, however, scoring just five points and falling behind 26-14 at the break. The TigerHawks upped their advantage to 42-26 following the third period, then closed out the night with a 17-9 run, to win handily.
The Bulldog offense once again struggled, hitting just 11 of 56 shots, for a 19.6 field goal percentage. From behind the arc, just three of 15 attempts were successful.
One of the keys for the TigerHawks was containing Moreland, who scored just three points. She was still active on the boards, though, pulling down six rebounds.
Anderson was MFL MarMac’s leading scorer, with eight points, and was also tops on the team with seven rebounds. Miranda Lang finished the night with seven points, two rebounds and two steals, while Kayden Gillitzer added six points off the bench. Lakota Morrissey tallied four points and four rebounds, and Brooklynn Moon earned five points and two rebounds during her time on the floor.
The loss dropped MFL MarMac’s overall record to 8-3 and conference mark to 7-1. Things won’t get any easier this week, as the Bulldogs square off against another conference title contender, Turkey Valley, on Jan. 12.
