Back to the court quick for Valley Heights and Linn after the Twin Valley League tournament as the Mustangs welcomed the Bulldogs to town for League action. At the end of the night it was a split as the Linn girls held off Valley Heights for the 49-47 road win, while the Valley Heights boys cruised to a 48-20 win at home.

The Linn and Valley Heights girls were already familiar with each other facing off just a little over a week ago in the Quarterfinals of the TVL tournament, a game in which Linn picked the overtime win. That was the first game for Valley Heights without Jo Roepke, the team's leading scorer; this time around Linn was without their leading scorer too in Nicole Ohlde. The game started sluggish for both squads as neither team could find the bottom of the net, but Linn took the early lead and headed into halftime up 16-14.

The Mustangs were within two points and had a chance to tie it at the end of the first half despite both Sidney Blackburn and Kayla Smith struggling in the first half and sitting on the bench with foul trouble late in the first half. In the second half the third quarter say Linn push their lead to double figures, looking to take control of the game but Valley Heights behind a 13 point third quarter from Smith came back and took their first lead at 31-30 with 2:30 left in the third quarter. Linn took the lead back to hold a one-point lead going into the fourth, where the game was a seesaw affair with teams trading leads. The Bulldogs held a three-point lead late and fouled Smith who hit two free throws to make it a one-point game with just less than five seconds left. Linn split a pair of free throws after a Mustang foul, making it a two-point game with enough time for a desperation shot for the Mustangs and at the buzzer a half-court shot by Smith fell just short of the rim, sending Linn to the 49-47 win.

Linn with the win improved to 7-5 on the season and 5-3 in League action, as Rachel Bott paced the teams with 15 points, while Kendra Bargman tallied 13 points and Kesiah Thalmann scored nine. For Valley Heights the loss puts them at 9-3 on the season and 5-1 in League play, but just 1-3 since the Roepke injury. Smith paced the Mustangs with another 20-plus point game finishing with 21 points, earning Community National Bank "Player to Bank On" on KMZA radio, while Blackburn added 12 points.

The boys game started off slow just like in the girls varsity matchup but changed for one team that being the home team in Valley Heights as senior, Elijah Smith dunked home the first two field goals of the game for the Mustangs and the Valley Heights worked out to a 14-7 lead after the first quarter behind Smith scoring 10 in the first. The Mustangs continued to cruise from that point on as Linn turned the ball over, missed shots and never got in a rhythm and both Chad Gross and Grant Cook got in foul trouble sending them to the bench midway in through the second quarter. At the half the Mustangs lead 27-11 and using a 21-2 third quarter put the game away, picking up the 48-20 win.

Valley Heights with the win improved to 8-5 overall and 4-2 in TVL action, as Smith paced the team with 17 points and three highlight dunks, earning him Community National Bank "Player to Bank On" honors on KMZA radio. Junior, Anthony Edwards chipped in nine points off the bench. For Linn they managed no higher than seven points in a single quarter all night and were led by Grant Cook who scored six points. The loss sends Linn to 4-7 overall and 2-6 in TVL action.

The season rolls on Friday as Linn will travel to Onaga and Valley Heights hits the road, too traveling to Frankfort.