The Ballard women's basketball team protected its home floor Wednesday night, rolling past Fort Dodge 57–27 in a Class 4A regional quarterfinal at the Hangar.

Ballard set the tone early and never let up, advancing to the regional semifinal with a balanced offensive attack and a stifling defensive performance.

The Bombers jumped out to an 11–4 lead after the first quarter, establishing control with disciplined half-court defense and efficient shot selection.  They extended the margin to 23–11 by halftime, limiting Fort Dodge to just four field goals in the opening 16 minutes.

The game turned decisively in the third quarter.  Ballard exploded for 24 points in the period, outscoring Fort Dodge 24–8 to build a commanding 47–19 advantage heading into the final frame.

Freshman Alea Kinzenbaw led the Bombers with 13 points, including three shots from beyond the arc.  Fellow freshman Kaitlyn Dunn added 12 points, knocking down three three-pointers to help fuel the third-quarter surge.  Kaylor Johnson contributed eight points and was a perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line.

Grace Polewik chipped in seven points, and Maci Harder added five.  Ballard converted 14-of-21 free throws as a team, capitalizing on opportunities at the line to maintain momentum throughout the contest.

Fort Dodge managed just 27 total points, scoring four in the first quarter, seven in the second, eight in the third, and eight in the fourth. 

With the win, Ballard improves to 9-13 overall and advances to the regional semifinal.  The Bombers will travel to face Pella on Saturday, February 21, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.

Photo Credit: Davidson Photography