Edgerton Dutchmen girls’ basketball coach Andrew Fleischman had to feel like the schedule makers had forgotten about him and his team. By the time his team was finally able to open the 2021-’22 campaign at home versus the Chargers of Westbrook-Walnut Grove, the Chargers had already played four games. It took EHS a little while to shake off the rust, but led by a superior outing from sophomore sensation Alyda Vande Griend, the Dutchmen prevailed 59-52 to kick off the season.

If the game on December 9 is any indication for Edgerton and WWG, EHS’s shot attempts will likely come from close range while WWG will fire them up from deep. Edgerton put up 55 shots (making 23) but only two attempts were from beyond the three-point arc. WWG, meanwhile, was 17-for-62 from the field and 32 times they launched from deep (making eight). So it should be no surprise for readers to learn that the Dutchmen had 42 points in the paint and WWG had just 16. Edgerton, with its height advantage, also managed to outrebound the visiting Chargers 51-31. Vande Griend yanked down 15 boards to go along with her 26 points. Seven of her rebounds were the offensive variety with six of them converted into buckets, which were instrumental in EHS’s seven-point win.

Braelyn Kracht scored the season’s first four points for EHS, getting them on the board initially with a steal and subsequent layup. It appeared early in the contest that Edgerton would pull away for the easy victory when they moved ahead 17-11. They trailed 7-9 before Brenalyn Smit scored and Miriam Ockenga registered an old-fashioned three-point play after yanking down an offensive rebound. Vande Griend scored and then Reece Wassink followed Ockenga’s lead and got her own three-point play and it was 17-11. But back came the Chargers who tied the contest at 17-all. The rest of the first half saw two ties and half a dozen lead changes before the score became 29-29 at the break.

The Chargers scored first to begin the second half action and then Haley Wieck scored down low (assist Kracht). Wieck later got a free throw before WWG converted a rare four-point play to move ahead 35-32. Wieck made two free throws at the 14:09 mark to pull her team to within 34-35.