Wolverines shoot Cougars out of The Well 58-28

DES MOINES - Pick your poison with Dike-New Hartford. 

That’s the lesson eight-seed Cascade learned playing the top-ranked Wolverines in the State quarterfinals on Tuesday, gambling on limiting the post and being burned by 10 DNH threes in a 58-28 win for the Wolverines.  

The Cougars quickly learned that the Wolverines like to get the ball down to senior Payton Petersen down low, scoring the first four Wolverine points in that fashion. They took away the pass inside and in the lane, but instead DNH looked to senior Maryn Bixby to make the outside shot with the defense collapsed on both Petersens inside. Bixby delivered with five treys in the first quarter and one from junior Izzy Norton as the Wolverines took a 34-12 lead into halftime. 

“You got to stop Jadyn and Payton somehow, and I feel that opens the three point line for me, Izzy (Norton) and Madde (Buskhol),” Bixby said. “Our teammates do a great job of finding us on the outside.”

DNH’s separation was bolstered as their press began to turn the Cougars over in the second quarter. The Wolverines picked up three steals and several deflections as Cascade’s Molly Roling, their starting point guard, sat with foul trouble.  

“[Cascade] was not going to let Payton Petersen touch the ball,” coach Bruce Dall said. “They clogged the lane big time.  Our team did a nice job of finding Maryn and our shooters.  When Roling sat, we really picked up our press and let the girls do what they do.”

Buskhol and Norton were the ones knocking down the outside shots in the third quarter as the Wolverines cruised. Bixby added her last two triples in the final quarter, bringing her game total to seven makes. 

“We have to step up because teams are so focused on Jadyn and Payton inside, like they should be,” Norton said. “Then that gives us open looks. It’s big that they can always find us outside. We’re all excited and motivated because everyone is working well together.”

Bixby finished with 25 points (7 of 15 from three) and two steals. Jadyn Petersen came up with nine points, 17 rebounds and five assists. Payton Petersen had nine points, nine rebounds and six assists. Norton totaled eight points. The Wolverines shot 10 of 31 from three. 

DNH (23-2) advanced to the Class 2A semifinals against the winner between Sioux Central or Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Friday at 10:00 a.m. The winner of Friday’s game will play in the 2A championship, a game the Wolverines have won the last three seasons. But Friday’s game is the focus.

“It's a good start, but we take one game at a time,” Dall said. “we're not even thinking about that to be honest with you.”