by Alan Hoskins
Kansas City Kansas Community College solidified the biggest jump by any team in the NJCAA Division II national women’s rankings with a two-game sweep in the Iowa Western Classic over the weekend.
Ranked No. 20 in the preseason rankings, the Lady Blue Devils vaulted all the way to No. 8 in the first poll of the season by virtue of nine straight wins to start the season. Defending national champion Johnson County (10-0) is No. 1 in the poll and Highland No. 13.
KCKCC opened the Iowa Western Classic in Council Bluffs with a 99-46 rout of Briar Cliff JV Friday and then pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 72-59 win over Otero Junior College Saturday.
At Central Methodist JV Tuesday, the Blue Devils will close out the 2015 portion of the schedule Friday when they host No. 18 ranked North Arkansas at 5 p.m.
The Blue Devils battled through six lead changes and four ties to turn back Otero. Leading 61-55 entering the final quarter, KCKCC finished with a 21-14 surge highlighted by the scoring of Cheyenne North and Sierra Roberts. North had 13 of her game high 21 points in the second half; Roberts eight of her 14 including two of her four three-point goals.
“I was very pleased with our toughness down the stretch and particularly in the fourth quarter,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry. “Leading by just six points, I challenged the girls to keep the lead and not give Otero a chance to make it any tighter and they did just that. Our decision making and execution was fantastic down the stretch.”
Erin Anderson led the Blue Devils early, scoring 12 of her 16 points in a first half in which KCKCC led 31-29. In addition to 21 points, North also led in rebounding with 10 for her fifth double double of the season and she followed up with a near triple double against Briar Cliff with eight points, nine rebounds, nine assists and four blocked shots.
KCKCC put the Briar Cliff game out of reach in a hurry, opening a 25-11 first quarter lead and extending it to 53-22 at the half by shooting 51.4 percent and forcing 13 turnovers.
Brooklyn Wagler led four Blue Devils in double-digit scoring with 16 while Anderson added 14 and Arrica Daye and Destiny Vincent 12 each . All 10 Blue Devils scored as Valencia Scott had 9 points, North and Kyliea Jarret 8 each, Janay Jacobs and Roberts 7 and Brie Tauai 6.
“Very happy with our unselfishness,” McKinstry said. “We had 24 assists on 36 field goals and everyone played and scored at least six points.”
Eleven of the Blue Devils’ 36 field goals came from three-point range, three by Anderson and two each by Roberts, Daye, Jacobs and Vincent.
Alan Hoskins is the sports information director for KCKCC.