North Central hosted LRC league foe Ipswich last Friday in Roscoe. The hosts would outscore Ipswich 51-44 in the girls' outing and Ipswich would then obtain a 64-47 win in the boys varsity game.

The Thunder girls fashioned a late rally to upend Ipswich, though they had actually led their visitors 9-5 at the first-quarter break. But Ipswich would respond with a 22-13 halftime lead and still narrowly owned a 34-32 edge with that decisive final quarter to play. And the hosts would then outscore Ipswich 19-10 down the stretch for their eventual seven-point win.

The Thunder were led by Brittney Frickson with a game-high 24 points including a perfect 8-8 at the free throw line. Amree Vander Vorst also reached the double-figure scoring plateau with her 11 points that featured one trey. Ella Batie tallied eight points and Jenisa Jacobs added six points. Alaina Dosch completed their scorebook with her two points. They totaled 18 baskets that included that trey and were a warm 14-19 in free throws.

Ipswich countered with a 15-point scoring effort from Katie Bierman including a trey. Next would be Brianna Geditz with a pair of treys for her six points. Gabby Wald and Ashlyn Weig each scored five points and Wald included one trey. There were a pair of four-point scorers - Baylee Kulesa and Kaylin Onken. Karlie Gohl scored three points on a successful trey attempt and Marley Guthmiller completed their ledger with two points. Ipswich ended up with 17 field goals that featured those five treys and went 5-11 in free throws.

Unofficially Ipswich had 32 rebounds, led by Bierman with 10 of them for a double-double. But the home team would grab 31 boards led by Frickson's 13 rebounds. So Frickson's 24 points and 13 rebounds definitely translate into a double-double in anybody's scorebook.

Turnovers were fairly comparable as well.

BOYS

Meanwhile the NC boys got considerably closer this time around vs. their Ipswich counterparts than during a confrontation earlier in the season.

This time Ipswich had jumped ahead 22-13 after a quarter and then only led 35-27 at halftime. The Tigers would lead 48-39 with a quarter to play. But the visitors would double the Thunder scoring, 16-8 in that stanza to seal the deal.

Ipswich was led by Trevor Heinz with 16 points that included two treys and five assists, followed by Ian Beyers with 15 points, including a pair of treys. And Tyler Hettich was next with 14 points that featured three treys. Chet Peterson added eight points and Tucker Miller and Carter Geditz each contributed four points. Jace Konsor scored two points and Turner Thorson, a free throw.

The Thunder obtained 12 points from Cooper Oxner with his four treys and Dawson Walz was next with 10 points, also in double-figures that evening. Cole Bukaske almost achieved double-figure scoring with his nine points. Bastien Delalande added eight points and Raynor Sprague and Spencer Buecher, four points each.

Ipswich totaled seven treys in its 18 accurate floor shots and shot 21-32 in free throw tries. The Thunder responded with 16 baskets that included that quartet of treys and were 11-15 in their free throw attempts.

The Tigers would unofficially grab 32 rebounds and the Thunder, 22. (They were led by Delalande with seven.) Ipswich incurred six turn-overs and North Central, 20.

UPCOMING

The IHS boys and girls played Aberdeen Christian Tuesday in Aberdeen. The Tiger girls host Wilmot on Feb. 9. The girls and boys JV play Sunshine Bible on Feb. 10 at the SBA Event Center. Saturday, Feb. 11 the boys host Langford Area. Valentines Day the Tigers will have separate dates - boys play on the road vs. Hitchcock-Tulare and the girls host Highmore-Harrold.