HARTINGTON - Cedar Catholic shook off a pesky Pierce boys basketball team, pulling away in the second half of a 49-38 win on Friday.

The Trojans grabbed the lead early, but the Blue Jays wouldn't let them pull away, hanging with them shot for shot in the second quarter.

But things changed in the third, with Cedar Catholic's offense hitting their stride - shooting 6-of-9 over the third quarter - while holding Pierce to five points.

The win is Cedar Catholic's seventh in their last eight.

SCORING SUMMARY:

PIERCE (4-8)                    - 10 12  5 11 - 38 

CEDAR CATHOLIC (9-4) - 15 12 14  8 - 49

TEAM STATS:

CEDAR CATHOLIC

- FG: 18/44 (40.9%)

- 3P: 6/20 (30%)

- FT: 7/11 (63.6%)

PIERCE

- FG: 15/42 (35.7%)

- 3P: 3/12 (25%)

- FT: 5/9 (55.6%)

INDIVIDUAL STATS:

CEDAR CATHOLIC

- Mason Baller: 9 pts, 3 rebs

- Hunter Bensen: 3 pts

- Jaymison Cattau: 11 pts, 7 rebs

- Braeden Reifenrath: 8 pts, 6 rebs

- Nolan Becker: 13 pts, 9 rebs

- Breiton Whitmire: 2 pts

- Aaron Wortmann: 3 pts, 3 rebs

PIERCE

- Gavin Lubischer: 1 pt, 6 rebs

- Payton Cederburg: 5 pts

- Kendall Shada: 6 pts, 2 rebs

- Ryder Theisen: 4 pts

- Brock Collison: 9 pts, 6 rebs

- Keaton Frazier: 9 pts, 6 rebs

- Ethan Nordby: 4 pts, 2 rebs