It took some time for the game to begin, but once the clock ticked to the final buzzer, each second was like a heartbeat of intensity and anxiousness as the game was anyone’s to win.
The CGD Cowgirls maintained a lead throughout the entire game, but the Webster City Lynx never once surrendered to the score. Both teams battled for the win, and duelled for the ball as they knew every point mattered with such a close score. With the first quarter ending 9-4, both coaches for CGD and Webster had some instructions.
“Hands up,” the CGD coaches reminded the Cowgirls. Once the second quarter further opened up, and the Cowgirls started raising their hands more often, the Cowgirls’ lead continued. However, the Lynx head coach halted the game immediately as she screamed “Timeout!” With only a few minutes left on the clock, the livid Lynx coach’s instructions definitely impacted the Lynx girls, as they managed to pile 13 points over the Cowgirls, who only scored three after the timeout was called. The second quarter ended with a 24-20 lead for the Cowgirls, but it was clear…the game was not over yet. It had just begun.
“We try to remind the girls to ‘practice with a purpose,’” noted Coach Liz Ennis, as she described her planning through practices. The purpose of the game, and securing the win, was evident during Saturday’s fixture, as the girls repeatedly reached for the ball, ripping it out of the Lynx girls’ possession if needed. Four points ahead at halftime, the Cowgirls then wrapped up the third quarter with a five point lead, as they led 35-30. The fourth quarter was a game within itself. As the game was all tied up at 35-35, with five minutes left, the aggressiveness intensified with multiple fouls called throughout the game. “It’s nice when officials communicate with coaches and players on how the game is being officiated, as all refs have a difficult job and each make their own individual calls,” explained SR Summer Traub, as the refs approached the players and coaches concerning the fouls called and why they were being called.
With “meows” and “woofs” heckled from the Webster fans, players such as SR Delia Swanson and JR Lexie Lane persevered with their free-throws, adding up the points for CGD.
“Hands up,” the CGD coaches continued to yell, as the Lynx repeatedly aimed for three points, which would have leveled the score at 41-41. However, the Lynx just couldn’t land the ball through the bucket, though they managed to make it only a 41-40 score with 59 seconds left. With 25 seconds left, another timeout was called, as the match just wasn’t ready to end. It was all down to the last 20 seconds of the game, with people on the edge of their seats. Every second matters in basketball, and with a timeout called after a foul with 2.07 seconds left, it was just enough time for the Lynx to seal the deal with their first win of the season. But those 2.07 seconds weren’t enough. As the clock ticked from 2.07, to finally 0.00, it were the Cowgirls who marched off the court with a nail-biting win.
41-40 sealed the win for the Cowgirls, continuing their undefeated streak. Traub didn’t doubt the defense once, despite the score, as she praised the team, “The intensity had picked up, but our defense has been the key to our wins all season long, and I knew it would hold through the last minute of the game, too.” The CGD Cowgirls are set to take on fellow conference team, Clear Lake Lions next. The game will take place on Tuesday, December 14, at Clear Lake, with tip-off set for 6 PM.
