The women's basketball team hosted Class 4A No. 10 North Polk on Friday night in the Hangar and pushed the Comets to the final buzzer before falling 46–41 in a hard-fought nonconference contest.

North Polk held a narrow 11–10 lead after the first quarter and gradually extended the margin to 19–16 at halftime. The Comets maintained their advantage through the third quarter, leading 31–25, before Ballard made a strong push in the final eight minutes. The Bombers outscored North Polk 16–15 in the fourth quarter but were unable to fully close the gap as the visitors held on down the stretch.

Kaylor Johnson led Ballard with a strong all-around performance, finishing with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocked shots. Grace Grundmeyer added nine points, knocking down three three-pointers, while Grace Polewik provided a spark off the bench with seven points, including a perfect 3-for-3 effort from the free-throw line.

Ballard struggled from the field overall, shooting 28.9 percent, but stayed within striking distance through defensive effort and rebounding, finishing with 34 total rebounds and forcing North Polk into difficult possessions throughout the night. Raya Miller contributed defensively with three steals, and Brooklyn Shoen added solid minutes off the bench with three points and a block.

The Bombers move to 1–5 overall and 1–2 in conference play.

Ballard returns to action on Tuesday, December 16, when the Bombers travel to Carlisle for a 6:00 PM Raccoon River Conference matchup.

Photo Credit: Kevin Rowedder