WINTERSET — Perry girls head coach Chris Morrow minced no words after Friday’s lackluster performance in a 38-14 loss at ADM — there were going to be some changes.
With playing time for all positions up in the air, Morrow with a starting lineup devoid of seniors for Tuesday’s Raccoon River Conference tilt at Winterset. The reserves trailed just 6-5 after one frame, and while Perry eventually suffered a 46-23 loss, Morrow was more than pleased with how his squad reacted.
“OK, we didn’t get the win, but I tell you what, we really had some great efforts out there tonight,” the coach said. “Our energy was high, we were supporting each other on the bench, the girls who started really gave it everything — the whole experiment worked well.”
Perry fell to 1-0 overall and 0-4 in RRC play, but the coach said he believed the team may have reached a turning point Tuesday.
“I was happy with every one of them,” Morrow said. “We still have a way to go, but the attitude and the approach and buying in to what we want to do, it was there. I’d like to see us a get a win Thursday (Perry hosts Ogden) and enter the break on a positive note.”
Putting the ball in the basket continues to vex the Jayettes, who found themselves in an 18-7 hole at the intermission. A 3-pointer, two-point shot and two free throws — all from Molly Lutmer — were the only Perry points in the first half.
Winterset (5-2, 3-1) was unable to increase their 11-point margin in the third frame and entered the fourth quarter with a 30-19 edge before going on to claim the 17-point win.
Mia Olsen had 14 points and Madison Wauters 12 to pace the Huskies.
Lutmer finished with a game-high 17 points for Perry, with Grace Stewart adding four points, Alyssa Kruger three and Isabel Saemisch two.
Perry hosts Ogden Thursday in a “Pack the Gym” night, with all Jayette alumni encouraged to attend, as former head coach Mike Long will be honored between games for his 40 years leading the team. Long tallied 566 career wins, all at Perry, and took the Jayettes to the six-player tourney twice (1988 and 1993) and the five-player tourney twice (2000, 2002) winning the state championship in 2002.
