Ipswich picked up a hard-fought 47-33 LRC league girls' basketball win against Warner on January 9 on the Monarchs' own floor.

The Tiger girls were gradually able to take control of the outcome, especially during the final quarter. The IHS contingent had trailed 10-7 after a quarter and still faced a narrow 19-18 halftime deficit. But the Tigers won the third-quarter scoring outcome 10-7 to set up that decisive final quarter battle, won by Ipswich going away, 18-7.

Ipswich was led in scoring by Halle Heinz, the Aberdeen American News Athlete of the Week last week. She tallied 17 points to effectively lead all scorers. The IHS junior included a quartet of treys. Katie Bierman was not at all far behind with 15 points, featuring two treys. Bailey Pitz added a pair of accurate three-balls for her six points and Tessa Kilber also netted six points for the Tiger cause. Chesney Olivier completed the IHS scoring effort with a basket.

The hosts countered with a 12-point scoring evening by Ava Nilsson and Savannah Green was next with eight points, followed by Summer Scepaniak with six points and Kendyl Anderson with three points. Peyton Fisher and Jennifer Aman scored two points apiece.

Ipswich utilized 31 rebounds in a balanced effort led by Pitz with three. Warner pulled down 38. But Ipswich had 10 fewer turnovers than its hosts' 19. The Tigers utilized 18 accurate floor shots including the eight treys and were 2-4 in free throw tries. Warner made 15 baskets and included one trey. The hosts were 2-3 at the line.

The Ipswich contingent then competed in a DSU Classic vs. Dell Rapids St. Mary on Saturday in Madison and lost a 50-45 verdict. The Tiger girls staged an impressive final-quarter rally which fell short, as the game clock became the Cardinal's ally.

Ipswich received another game-high 35-point scoring effort from Heinz, who included four treys. Next in the scoring ledger for IHS were Kilber and Katie Bierman with four points apiece and Lindsey Grabowska with two points. The DRSM Cardinals countered with a nineteen-point day from Ella Heinitz to lead a balanced scoring attack and Ella Griffin was next with nine points.

Meanwhile, the Tigers had trailed 18-13 late in the opening-quarter until Heinz managed a buzzer-beating basket. She had scored all of Ipswich's points during that stanza and four more points early in the second quarter, until a different Tiger finally landed into the scorebook — Katie Bierman with a pair of free throws that would shave her team's 10-point deficit to eight, 29-21, at that juncture of the half.

Ipswich would eventually trail 38-21 at intermission and still faced a 44-31 shortfall with a quarter to play. But Heinz jump-started a 14-6 final-quarter scoring edge by the Tigers with her timely trey and the Tigers would draw to within four points 46-42 at the 1:38 mark of the contest. But DRSM took a timeout and was then able to stave off the Tigers in the closing seconds, despite a late Kilber basket that would complete her team's and the game's scoring.

Ipswich finished with a 14-61 floor-shooting night and added 13 free throws. But the Tigers were narrowly out-rebounded by the Cardinals 42-38, despite Hailey Bierman's six retrieves.

Ipswich ended up with 13 turnovers, but created several steals themselves, leading to 18 Cardinal miscues.

Ipswich, now 5-3, is scheduled to play at Northwestern in Mellette on January 16 in league play and will then play at Groton Area, in a non-league tilt on January 21.