OTTUMWA — The first varsity high school basketball doubleheader ever at Ottumwa High School's new competition gymnasium was meant to be a night of celebration for the Bulldogs.
Indianola, however, played the role of spoiler. The Indians used stellar defense to pull away from Ottumwa in both contests, winning 45-28 in the girls contest before earning a 59-39 win in the season opener for both boys basketball teams on Tuesday.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMadison Grover and Lauren Olson led the charge for the Indians (2-0), combining for 29 points and 15 rebounds. Alli Goedken led Ottumwa with nine points while Hayden Keith added seven points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the second straight game for the Bulldogs.
Easton McGraw paced a balanced attack for the Indianola boys (1-0) with a game-high 19 points while grabbing six rebounds and blocking a pair of shots. Bryant Ritchie added 13 points for the Indians with four steals on the defensive end. George Blake scored 11 points and dishing out a game-high six assists.
Cedrik Van Englenhoven paced Ottumwa with 15 points on opening night, sinking five of Ottumwa's nine made 3-pointers in the contest. The Bulldogs struggled to score in the paint for the Indians, taking just 12 of their 45 shots from inside the 3-point arc.
The Ottumwa boys (0-1) will be back home on Friday to host Iowa City West. The Bulldog girls (0-2) will be at home on Monday to host Burlington, tipping off a three-game week that will include trips to Fairfield and Des Moines Roosevelt for both teams.
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