Atlantic hosted Red Oak in Hawkeye 10 play on Tuesday, Jan. 21. This was the first time the Trojans played the Tigers this season.

The Trojan girls were coming off a solid win over the Clarinda Cardinals a week prior. With a record at 6-6, the Trojans took on the 12-2 Tigers, who were ranked #6 in class 3A by the IGHSAU. Head coach Dan Vargason sent out the starting lineup of juniors Haley Rasmussen, Taylor McCreedy, and Maycie Waters, as well as seniors Kenzie Waters and Corri Pelzer.

In the first quarter, the two squads were locked in, showcasing their defense. Halfway through the first quarter, the score remained three to two, with Red Oak in the lead. As the minutes of the opening frame ticked away, the Tigers put together their offense quickly, adding on 12 unanswered points. The Trojans found their groove in the second quarter, but remained behind Red Oak 27-11 at the half.

Atlantic kept with it in the second half, outscoring their opponents 18 to seven in the fourth quarter. However, the girls ran out of time and lost the game, 56-41.

Three Trojans finished in double digits. K. Waters and McCreedy both had 11 points, and Rasmussen chipped in ten.

On the guys’ side of things, Atlantic was hoping to add on to their road victory over Clarinda. The boys’ record stood at 4-6. Red Oak’s was 3-10 when they arrived in Atlantic. The starting lineup for Atlantic consisted of juniors Grant Sturm, Skyler Handlos, and Craig Alan Becker, as well as seniors Nile Petersen and Tyler Moen.

At the start of the game, both squads relied on fast-break plays to put up points. The score reflected the back-and-forth play style, with Red Oak up by one heading into the second quarter. Atlantic continued to push the issue, but the Tigers had the edge at the half, 27-23.

Fresh from the locker room, the Trojans started their comeback early in the third quarter. For the first time on the night, Atlantic outscored their opponents. Atlantic was up by one heading into the final eight minutes. The boys let it rip in the fourth, splashing in 27 points to seal the deal on a 64-52 win.

Handlos had a huge night with 29 points. The team had 34 rebounds in Tuesday night’s contest. 

Atlantic will take on Red Oak once more on Tuesday, Feb. 4.