Mustang girls prove too much for Tigerhawk girls to handle

MONROE — Prairie City-Monroe’s girls continue to be dominant at home after a win Tuesday night over HOI rival Colfax-Mingo.

The Mustang girls used pressure to get on top of C-M early with some big steals, and the Tigerhawks were unable to develop any kind of an offensive rhythm. PCM came out on top, 60-17.

PCM went on a big run to start the game and led 21-4 after the first period. Junior Courtney Van Houweling hit a 3-pointer then proceeded to pick up back-to-back steals, which both turned into Mustang layups. The Tigerhawks got into foul trouble and were in the bonus early, allowing PCM to take advantage with second-quarter free throws.

“I thought our zone defense really caused a lot of problems for them,” PCM coach Bret Grier said. “We were able to get out in transition and get some good buckets off turnovers.”

Grace Telfer knocked down some inside baskets for the Mustangs. She provided some offensive rebounding for PCM, which the team has missed so far in the early part of the season. Senior Abbi Gilson came back into the game after an extended rest during the second quarter and promptly knocked down three shots.

Alivia Haley found C-M’s McKenzie Cogley under the bucket for a quick score, but the Mustangs were quick to get back up the floor. Gilson caught a pass from Rachel Gulling in the post for a spin-move score to put PCM up 34-7. PCM led 36-8 going into halftime.

Gilson continued to put away baskets to start the second half, and she was on pace to challenge the team-high in points of 34 set by Van Houweling, but PCM had enough of a lead that Grier chose to sit her from the middle of the third quarter through the end of the game.

C-M continued to turn the ball over in the second half, and PCM took its big lead to the finish line.

Gilson led the Mustangs with 19 points, followed by Van Houweling with 11. Cogley’s nine points led the Tigerhawks.

PCM is now 5-0 at home and 0-3 on the road, but Grier suggested that has more to do with match ups than anything else.

“I think the teams we have played on the road are athletic, tall and physical, which is something we have trouble with right now,” he said. “We’re going to use this break to try to figure out what we can do defensively to slow teams like that down, because right now, we’re not getting it done how we would like to.”

PCM and C-M each have one game remaining before a two-week break in game. The Mustangs head on the road in search of their first win away from Monroe. They take on Collins-Maxwell/Baxter, while C-M is at home against Roland-Story. Both games are Friday.

C-M 4-4-3-6 — 17

PCM 21-15-19-5 — 60

C-M — Cogley 9, Breawna Schroder 4, Kayla Van Dusseldorp 2

PCM — Gilson 19, Van Houweling 11, Gulling 8, Telfer 7, Katie Vande Wall 7