Success under pressure lifts Lions to No. 1

The Clear Lake boys passed a pair of legitimate tests to their number two (3A) ranking last week.  The Lions earned wins over Webster City and Hampton-Dumont, but it was far from easy.   Nonetheless, their success under pressure lifted them to a number one ranking this week. 

CL 67, Webster City 48

Webster City played well on its home court Tuesday and challenged the Lions throughout a 67-48 contest.

“The final score doesn’t indicate how close the game was,” said Lions Coach Kevin Kahler.  “Webster city gave us more than we wanted.  The kids responded well and did well in the third and fourth quarters.”

After getting off to a 15-15 start in the first quarter, the Lions’ defense held the home team to just seven second quarter points for a 28-22 halftime score.  Clear Lake took control in the second half to pull away.

Spencer Davidson was 5/8 from three-point range on his way to 21-points in the game.  Pete 

Swenson and Matt Stephany were also in double figures with 12 and 11 points respectively.   Brock Adams put in seven points and had seven rebounds, while Jack Abbas, Chase Lester and Davis Dieken each scored four.  Dieken also led the team in rebounding with eight.

Devin Uhlenhopp and JJ Theobald came off of the bench to score two apiece.

CL 64, H-D 55

Clear Lake toppled Hampton-Dumont by 23 points when they played Dec. 13. What a difference a month has made.  

Clear Lake held off a determined Bulldog team Friday night for a 64-55 victory.

“Hampton-Dumont has improved since the first time we played them,” said Coach Kevin Kahler after the game.  But in addition to the competition’s improvement, the coach said the game revealed areas which the Lions need to address heading into the final stretch of the season.

“Our defense isn’t where it needs to be and it is a glaring weakness we need to take care of,” said the coach.

Friday, the game came down to the final few minutes and it was Clear Lake’s execution at crunch time which provided the win.

The Lions held a 28-26 lead at halftime, but the Bulldogs were able to surge into the lead in the third period.  They led by as many as five points before the Lions went on a 10-2 run in the third and ended the quarter ahead, 45-42.

H-D made another run in the fourth quarter, pulling to within 51-50, but the Lions responded with a scoring flurry of their own and outscored the Bulldogs 13-5 in the final five minutes.

Clear Lake’s starting five all played critical roles in the win.  Although Brock Adams had just five points, his three-pointer with just over one-minute remaining gave the Lions some breathing room. 

Spencer Davidson paced the Lions’ scoring with 18 points.  Pete Swenson and Davis Dieken also scored in double figures with 13 and 10.  Matt Stephany scored six points and joined Swenson as the leading rebounders with nine boards.  

Jack Abbas came off the bench to score eight points and Chase Lester put in four.  

This week, Clear Lake was scheduled to host Clarion-Goldfield Tuesday and will be at St. Ed’s Friday, Jan. 31.