IKM-Manning girls split final two regular-season games

 UNDERWOOD (Feb. 9) -- One night after beating MVAOCOU by 41 points, the IKM-Manning girls basketball team wrapped up regular season play Tuesday with a 55-45 loss at 13th-ranked (2A) Underwood.
 Trailing 27-22 at the half following a five-point second quarter, the Wolves pulled within 32-30 in the third before Underwood took control with a 16-3 run, improving to 17-3 overall and 12-3 in the Western Iowa Conference.
 IKM-Manning finished 6-9 in the WIC (sixth place) and will take a 7-11 overall record into Saturday’s Class 2A regional first round game vs. East Sac County (8-11) in Manning.
 The Wolves competed well with the Eagles despite a 29 percent shooting night from the field (15-of-52) and only a slight advantage in turnovers (IKM-M 14, Underwood 16).
 Alexa Ahrenholtz, who made 9-of-14 free throws, led IKM-Manning with 15 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Bre Muhlbauer scored nine points, followed by Taylor Ferneding with eight, Nicole Hanson five and Bianca Cadwell and Morgan Hanson four apiece.
 Ferneding and Cadwell combined for seven of the team’s 16 offensive boards and had five rebounds each. Cadwell added a team-high three assists.
 Underwood was led by Kendra Kuck’s 21 points and 10 rebounds and 11 points from Peyton Cook. Macy Vanfossan had a nice line with six points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks.

Wolves 71, Rams 30
 MANNING (Feb. 8) -- The IKM-Manning girls took control early with a 28-8 first period and also outscored MVAOCOU 21-4 in the third here Monday night, notching a 71-30 non-conference win.
 Senior Nicole Hanson had a good night from the three-point arc for IKM-M, hitting 5-of-8 bombs and leading the team with 20 points. Alexa Ahrenholtz had a nice game as well, totaling 18 points, eight assists, seven steals and six rebounds.
 Bianca Cadwell finished with 11 points and six boards, followed by Macie Doyel with eight points, Morgan Hanson four, Bre Muhlbauer and Katy Wooster three each and Taylor Ferneding and Bailee Germer both with two. Ferneding also had four rebounds, four steals and three assists.
 The visiting Rams (7-14) were pressured into 27 turnovers - 20 on IKM-M steals - and shot just 26 percent, led by Ashlyn Blake’s 16 points.
 Prior to the game, the Wolves honored their four seniors - Ahrenholtz, Nicole Hanson, Muhlbauer and Lauren Danner - as part of Senior Night.