The Iowa Falls-Alden and South Hardin girls basketball team will meet in a Hardin County rivalry season opener in Eldora on Friday.
Iowa Falls-Alden went 11-11 last season and will see the debut of new Head Coach Michael Collison. The Cadets return second leading scorer, junior Joslin Johnson with 8.2 points per game, 65 assists and a team leading 63 steals last season. Senior Addison Dennis returns as the team’s third leading scorer after averaging 7.8 points per game and pulled down 157 rebounds last season.
Collison on the opening test the Tigers present and striving for consistent improvement.
“They have had some really good success in athletics and their girls sports the last few years. To have that be the first opponent, you’re gonna know right away what you need to get better at in that game cause they’re gonna be ready to go,” says Collison. “When you know you’re playing someone really good, you’re gonna have to earn it. You can’t just show up and win. We gotta have that mentality every day in practice. We’re trying to get 1% better to play these really tough teams at the start of the year.”
South Hardin went 6-16 last season and will enter its fourth season with Head Coach Nick Eller. The Tigers return leading scorer senior Alli Sheldahl, who averaged 12 points per game and added 129 rebounds last season. Sophomore Ayda Eller returns as the team’s second leading scorer at seven points per game and led the team in assists and steals with 54 and 40 respectively last season.
Eller on adjusting to Coach Collison led Cadets and heated rivalry between the programs.
“Don’t know everything to expect from Coach Collison being his first time being the head coach for the girls side of it. Don’t know exactly what to expect from them offensive and defensive wise yet. We’ll have to kind of scramble on the fly on Friday and get that figured out,” says Eller. “Expect it to be a tough game. They’ve got a lot of good players back. We’ve got a lot of good players back. We always seem to get our best game versus them, anytime we play each other in any sport. It’s pretty heated and that’s a good thing, it’s a fun rivalry that way. I’m expecting a tough game.”
IFA won last year’s meeting at home 56-50.
Tip off is at 7:15 p.m. in Eldora.
