After returning from a two-week layoff over the weekend, the Pella basketball teams jumped into a busy final few weeks of competition, and swept Des Moines North Monday in the doubleheader heard live on 92.1 KRLS.

The #12 in 4A Dutch girls won 52-21, and the Pella boys pulled away for a 70-50 victory over the Polar Bears.

It was far from perfect, but the opener featured the home team trying to shake off a heartbreaking loss to #3 in 3A Des Moines Christian, and did so against a unique zone defense. Pella jumped to a 14-0 lead and kept the Polar Bears at arms reach through the duration.

“This was a great opportunity for us to focus on ourselves and get back to playing to our strengths,” said head coach Blaine Forsythe. “Overall, I was happy with how we played defensively and our ability to switch between our defenses. We struggled against their zone early but were able to settle in by finding the open shooters as the game went on.”

Kennedy Van Vark led the Dutch with 17 points and five steals. She looks forward to using Monday’s game as a launching pad into a critical contest against #8 in 4A Norwalk tonight.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH VAN VARK:

Pella’s boys were caught in a back-and-forth first quarter with Des Moines North in a frame that featured eight ties or lead changes. But the Dutch largely controlled festivities from there, and overcame 26 turnovers of their own by forcing 28 from the opposition.

The Dutch boys were paced by another double-double from Jack McGuire (18 points, 10 rebounds), 15 points from Cameron Rowe, and 14 from Romon Hugan. Pella’s boys are up to 7-4 overall and the girls are now 10-3; both travel to Norwalk tonight in a twin bill that can be heard live on 92.1 KRLS.