A final step away from the Little Hawkeye Conference in the regular season did not result in victory as the Pella girls mounted several comeback attempts but ultimately fell short to Des Moines North Monday in a 61-55 basketball game heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

The Dutch took an early lead before trailing for the majority of the first half in what was a game of several runs. Pella charged into the halftime break on an 11-3 swing to pull the game back within reach, and four Kennedy Van Vark three-pointers in the 2nd half either tied or gave Pella the lead. A mistake-filled stretch in the 3rd–including four turnovers and several rushed shots, allowed North to build back their advantage back to eight, only for a final Dutch charge tied the game late before the Polar Bears pulled away at the end at the free-throw line.

Van Vark finished with 15 points for Pella, followed by 12 from Reagan Van Wyk and 11 from Kylie Tauke. Freshman Sensation Amani Jenkins led the way for Des Moines North with 30 points and 13 rebounds.

Pella returns to action as the final four games of the conference season begin in a girls-boys doubleheader tonight at Oskaloosa. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. on the KRLS2 stream.