For the second time this season, the Newton basketball teams were swept in a Little Hawkeye Conference doubleheader by Dallas Center-Grimes Tuesday night, and both games were heard live on the KRLS3 stream. The Cardinal girls lost 45-26 in the opening game of the twin bill, while the boys were defeated 76-47.

In the girls game, Newton was down by six points at the end of the first quarter and trailed 20-8 at halftime. Dallas Center-Grimes led by 21 points at the end of the third quarter, before securing the 19-point victory. Tori White scored ten points in the loss, and was the only Cardinal to reach double figures. Newton girls head coach Jake Bennett was proud of the improvement the team made defensively, after giving up 67 points to the Mustangs in the first game on December 17th.

“We were able to communicate with each other who the shooters were and make sure we were not leaving them open in the corners. Switching on the correct people and sagging off some girls helped a little bit with stopping them from driving up the middle.”

The Newton boys played from behind most of the game. Dallas Center-Grimes led 21-12 at the end of the first quarter, 37-23 at halftime, and 53-33 at the end of the third quarter. Landon Bozarth led the way for Newton with 14 points, while Caden Klein added 13. Eleven Mustangs scored in the game, and Cardinals boys head coach Jason Carter said that balanced offense was the deciding factor.

“Part of our game plan going in was to force some of their other guys to hit shots. And they did. Credit to their supporting cast, they shot the ball really really well tonight.”

The Cardinal girls are now 8-7 on the season and 2-6 in conference games, while the boys are 3-5 in the conference and 8-6 overall. Both Newton squads travel to Pella Friday night for their second matchup against the Dutch.