Regina came to town undefeated, ranked No. 3 in Class 2A, and as the top-scoring team in any class (76.5 points per game).
But the Regals didn’t leave that way, having gotten a big taste of top-ranked Mount Vernon’s defense, 80-34, Saturday, Jan. 4.
“Getting up on them, and getting in gaps, which stopped their drives,” sophomore Courtney Franck said. “It frustrated them. They looked frustrated.
“I think they didn’t score as much as they usually do.”
Regina (9-1) had a previous low-scoring game of 60 points, in their closest game of the season, a 9-point win over Tipton.
“Some of their numbers might’ve been a bit inflated,” Mount Vernon coach Nate Sanderson said, looking at their victories. “We put those three athletes in front of them and made it tough.”
Those “athletes” were Courtney Franck, Taylor Franck and Savanna Wright, who can frustrate the most prolific scorers in the state with their high-intensity defense.
“We have some really great defenders,” senior Sydney Huber said. “Taylor, Savanna did an awesome job tonight. And Courtney.
“I think just knowing they have two main players, and we needed to stop them. Let the other players see if they could do the rest.”
Regina senior Morgan Miller came into the game as one of the top scorers in the state, but the Mustangs held her to eight points. Her previous low this season was 17 points against Tipton.
“We made her work, made her work,” Sanderson said.
Regina never led. Mount Vernon followed up a 14-8 first-quarter lead, with a 16-3 effort in the second quarter.
The Regals shot 3-of-24 in the first half.
“Once someone gets up, then everyone else’s intensity gets up,” Courtney Franck said. “Let’s stop them. And that’s what we did.”
Mount Vernon (9-1) got it done on the offensive side of the ball, too. Huber and Chloe Meester each had 18 points, and Savanna Wright added 16 points. Taylor Franck was the fourth starter in double-digits with 12 points.
The Mustangs made 11 3-pointers (on 17 attempts).
“We shot a great percentage,” Sanderson said. “You win a lot of games when you do that.”
Mount Vernon has now won eight in a row after an early-season setback to Cedar Rapids Prairie, now ranked No. 5 in Class 5A.
The Mustangs went into the break with a 47-43 win over Bolingbrook, Ill.
“That team was athletics and aggressive,” Sanderson said. “For us to get that win was pretty awesome.”
Ahead for Mount Vernon is 11 WaMaC games, including two against No. 14 (4A) Marion and one versus No. 12 (4A) Clear Creek Amana.
There is also another game against No. 11 (3A) West Delaware and two against No. 12 (3A) Center Point-Urbana.
Lots left to do.
“The kids love being around each other and are always focused on what is the next thing that is going to make us better,” Sanderson said.
REGINA (34) – Morgan Miller 3-12 0-0 8, Caitlin Martin 4-7 0-1 10, Ella McLaughlin 1-10 1-2 4, Addie McLaughlin 2-10 4-4 8, Adalee Klein 1-5 0-0 2, Ella Keune 0-1 0-0 0, Maggie Sueppel 0-1 2-4 2, Nora Wade 0-1 0-0 0, Maddie Squiers 0-0 0-0 0. Toals 11-47 7-11 34.
MOUNT VERNON (80) – Savanna Wright 6-11 0-0 16, Taylor Franck 5-8 0-0 12, Chloe Meester 9-14 0-0 18, Courtney Franck 3-3 0-0 6, Sydney Huber 7-12 0-0 18, Eryn Jackson 2-3 0-0 5, Rylee Rasmussen 1-2 0-0 2, Quinn Pershing 0-0 1-2 1, Lucy Wischmeyer 0-0 0-0 0, Sophia Meester 1-1 0-0 2, Alivia Truitt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 34-54 1-2 80.
Regina 8 3 11 12 – 34
Mount Vernon 14 16 26 24 – 80
3-point goals – ICR 5-24 (Miller 2-8, Martin 2-3, E.McLaughlin 1-7, A.McLaughlin 0-5, Keune 0-1), MV 11-17 (Wright 4-7, T.Franck 2-3, Huber 4-5, Jackson 1-2). Rebounds – ICR 26 (E.McLaughlin 5), MV 29 (Meester 6). Turnovers – ICR 18, MV 8. Total fouls – ICR 4, MV 9.