No. 10 Hinton girls beat MVAOCOU to reach regional final

HINTON — Heading into Friday night’s Class 2A regional semifinal game, 6-foot-1 MVAOCOU sophomore Trista Ohlmeyer tied for third in the entire state with 100 blocked shots, an average of 4.5 per game.

Ohlmeyer fouled out early in the fourth quarter with four blocks. However, Hinton 6-footers Bailey Boeve and Ashlyn Kovarna each recorded point/rebound double-doubles while leading the state’s 10th-ranked 2A squad to a 53-42 triumph and a berth in the 2A Region 2 final at Sioux Center against No. 2 Central Lyon.

“We told our girls we had to go up strong, get good post-ups and shot-fake when you need to,” said Hinton Coach Matt Leary. “We said (Ohlmeyer) was going to get her blocks, but we had to keep going at her. Yup, we just kept attacking.”

Hinton (20-3) stretched a 12-9 first-quarter lead to 27-15 by halftime and at that point, Ohlmeyer had three personal fouls. She notched her fourth foul early in the third and departed with 14 points, which included two of the Rams’ five 3-point baskets.

Hinton guards, led by Aubree Lake (5 assists), continued to feed Boeve and Kovarna in the post.

When the game ended, Boeve finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds while Kovarna added 14 points and a season-high 17 rebounds for a squad which finished with a 33-18 board advantage.

Boeve, who was coming off a 15-point, 13-rebound effort against Akron-Westfield, has 12 double-doubles on the season. Kovarna has six.

“Our guards fed our posts,” said Leary. “We stuck with our game plan. Kovarna and Boeve both did a great job of taking control of the point and the block.”

Boeve and Kovarna each recorded three steals and two assists in the Blackhawks’ 11th straight victory.

Natalee Junck, along with reserves Kyra Peters and Avery Burgad, each finished with one assist and one steal for a squad that now turns their attention to Central Lyon (21-0), last year’s 2A state runner-up.

Leary hosted a pizza feed and Central Lyon film watching session Sunday night.

Desta Hoogendoorn, a 6-foot junior center, scored 18 points and 5-11 senior guard Addison Klosterbuer added 13 points as the Siouxland Conference champions belted West Sioux 55-36 Friday.

Klosterbuer (19.8 ppg, 82 three-point field goals) and Hoogendoorn (14.9 ppg, 8.2 rpg) are returning starters from last year’s 24-3 team.

So is Afton Schlumbohm (8.2 ppg), a 5-7 senior who provided nine points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals against the Falcons.

Klosterbuer has more 3-point makes (82) than twos (61). Hoogendoorn is shooting 59.2 percent from the field. Schlumbohm has dished a whopping 128 assists.

“We have to make sure Klosterbuer doesn’t get free looks,” said Leary. “Every shot of hers has to be challenged. We have to keep Hoogendoorn off the rebounds. We have to keep Schlumbohm from penetrating.”

Boeve, a 56.6 percent shooter, averages 15.6 points and 10.1 rebounds for Hinton, which will aim for its seventh state appearance (first since 2009).

Kovarna (10.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg) will also be in the starting lineup along with Junck (9.0 ppg), Lake (7.8 ppg) and Ashlyn Reintzel (6.1 ppg).

Each of Hinton’s starting five has well-over 40 steals for a defense that yields an average of 35.8 points per game.

“Central Lyon is definitely a very good team, but we finished in the Top 10 ourselves,” said Leary, who guided Hinton to 2A state berths in 2000, 2002 and 2004.

“I feel like we are playing good basketball ourselves with good perimeter play and good post play. We have good rebounding. It will take another effort like that,” Leary said. “We have to take care of the ball, another important component. If we shoot at a high percentage, we will give ourselves a chance.”