Coe runs past Iowa Wesleyan early

MT. PLEASANT - It was a bit of a homecoming for a couple Henry County graduates on Wednesday night. Coe College, a team that includes Mt. Pleasant graduate Kalynn Batey and New London graduate Mady Wahls, came into Olan G. Arena for a women's basketball showdown with Iowa Wesleyan.

Coe used a 31-point first quarter to put IW up against the wall early and ran away with a 94-48 win.

The Tigers found themselves in a big hole just five minute into the game. Coe College started the game on a 15-2 run and poured it on early, leading 31-8 after the first quarter.

IW played much better in the second quarter, cutting the lead under 20 points before halftime. At the break, Coe led 41-22.

The Kohawks scored 25 points both the third and fourth quarters to pull away with the win, handing IW a loss right before winter break.

'That first quarter has been a monster for us,” said IW head coach Temaine Wright. 'I think we're still kind of coming out, trying to feel our way through it. We've just got to figure out how to get through that first quarter. We've got to stop spotting teams 20-30 points, and then trying to come back.”

Morgan McCrea led the Tigers with 16 points and four rebounds in the loss. Allie Massner scored 14 points. Maddie Williamson had eight points, and the duo of Harriet Fowler and Deericka Martin scored five apiece.

Williamson and Batey, former high school teammates, had plenty of time to get reacquainted. The two found themselves guarding each other throughout the night.

'It was really different,” Williamson said. 'She was my best friend on the court, and now we're playing against each other, so it's hard guarding her. I just thought about how when we were in high school practicing, we would always get after it.”

Batey finished the night with eight points, tied for second-most on the Kohawk team. She finished the night with eight points, two assists, two rebounds and two blocks.

The former Panther echoed Williamson's comments.

'In high school and practice, we were never on the same team,” Batey said. 'We'd always guard each other, so it kind of reminded me of that.”

Both sides of the stands were filled with Mt. Pleasant and New London fans who were on hand to see the locals.

'It was good to have family and friends here, so many familiar faces,” said Wahls, who finished the night with three points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. 'Even some of my old teammates came to watch, so that was super exciting.”

IW fell to 1-9 overall this season. They'll have a scrimmage at Graceland University on Dec. 31, before getting back to conference play after the break. They'll go into their Jan. 4 road game at Blackburn with a 1-2 SLIAC record.

Batey, Wahls and the Kohawks are now 6-4 overall. They will have a 12 day rest before their next game, at Augustana College on Dec. 30.