For the second time in program history, the Forest City Indians girls basketball team is going to the state tournament, while the Algona Bulldogs fell short in the regional final for the fourth straight year, as the #7 ranked Indians defeated the #13 ranked Bulldogs 54-41 in the class 3A – region 7 final on Saturday night in Forest City.
With Forest City leading 15-11 after one quarter, the Indians used relentless defense to create a flood of Algona turnovers in the second, as Forest City scored 20 of the first 22 points. By the time the dust settled on the second, Forest City had outscored Algona 20-5, and led 35-16 at the half. Algona turned the basketball over 9 times in the second quarter, 16 for the first half, and made just 1/8 shots in the second.
Algona Head Coach Noel McLaughlin says Forest City showed that the Bulldogs still have work to do.
Algona got as close as ten points in the second half, but Forest City shortened the game with long, shot-clock eating possessions, putting away Algona to qualify for state for the second time in three years, and get redemption from a shocking regional final loss to West Marshall last season. McLaughlin felt Algona never gave up in spite of the adversity.
Algona started the game well on offense behind a big first quarter by Bella Jo Dunning. The Algona junior began the game with an and one, and hit two more threes, giving her the first nine Algona points, and an early 9-7 lead, which would be the last time Algona was in front. Dunning finished her night with 11 points, while fellow junior Hayden McLaughlin led Algona with 13.
Not to be outdone, Forest City senior Hayden Brown scored the first seven for the Indians, and finished her night with 15, bested only by Lexi Isebrand’s 16.
Algona’s 13 game win streak comes to an end, with the Bulldogs wrapping up the season 20-5, a season bookended by losses at Forest City.
According to McLaughlin, it was a season defined by growth for Algona.
Forest City improves their record to 22-3, and will have the 6th seed at state, taking on third seeded Des Moines Christian, a rematch of a December 13th game won 71-66 by Des Moines Christian.
With no seniors on the team, McLaughlin says this game isn’t the final chapter for the Algona girls basketball team.
