Second shot not same as first

PORT BYRON – A month ago, Newman thumped Morrison in their lone Three Rivers matchup. Monday, the Fillies gave the Comets a tougher test.

Newman passed the test, winning the Class 2A Riverdale Regional first-round game 45-35 at Riverdale High School.

On Jan. 7, the Comets led 18-3 after one quarter and 25-3 at the half on the way to a 45-22 home win over Morrison. Monday, fourth-seeded Newman (11-18) never trailed, but did not put away the fifth-seeded Fillies until late.

The Comets advance to meet top-seeded Rock Falls (17-10) in a regional semifinal at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Riverdale.

“We did what we had to do to win, but we can play a lot better,” said Newman’s Anna Grove, who scored 10 points. “We did a good job rebounding. We had good position. Our girls are pretty good at that. It got a little frustrating when our shots weren’t falling, but eventually we pulled ahead and did it.”

Newman gradually built to a double-digit lead early in the second half. Morrison (5-24) cut the gap to five at 29-24 with 3:09 left in the third quarter on a 3-pointer by Morgan Ammon, who scored a game-high 14 points.

“We came in with a positive attitude,” Ammon said. “All day we were saying we could beat them. We never gave up. We did all we could do.”

The Comets responded with a 6-0 burst that included three free throws by Grove, a bucket by Rachel Hageman, who had eight points and 12 rebounds; and a free throw from Jaimie Hurd, who scored a team-high 11 points. The run put Newman up 35-24 with 50 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Fillies shaved the margin to seven at 39-32 with 4:48 to play on a rebound putback by freshman Ashley Greul, who had seven points.

The Comets again had the answer, putting the game away with another 6-0 spurt that ballooned the difference to 13, 45-32, with less than 2 minutes remaining. The run included a pair of free throws by Hannah Erickson and field goals by Grove and Hurd.