John Bohnenkamp for Pen City Current Sports
Adalyn Kruse played a big role as a freshman this season on the Holy Trinity volleyball team that finished second in the state in Class 1A.
And it’s that role that’s helped her become a key part of the Crusaders’ success in basketball as well.
Kruse had 14 points, one of three Crusaders in double figures, as Holy Trinity defeated Wapello 66-20 on Thursday at Shottenkirk Gym.
Mary Kate Bendlage had 26 points and Natalie Randolph had 18 as the Crusaders (14-1) won their ninth consecutive game.
With center Presley Myers injured, Kruse was going to get key minutes in the post for the Crusaders, and she delivered from the start.
“She’s better every game, every practice,” Holy Trinity coach Tony Johnson said. “She’s strong for a freshman. She’s really coordinated. And she’s a ball magnet — the ball finds her on rebounds.”
“When I started (this season), I definitely wasn’t very good,” Kruse said. “Basketball’s not my sport — volleyball is. I think I’ve learned a lot. Playing in junior high was nothing compared to this.”
Kruse was an immediate fit in a volleyball rotation made up of veteran players, and it’s been the same with the basketball team.
“I think some of this adjustment for her was from volleyball, being around those girls,” Johnson said. “She’s been on big stages already, and she can obviously handle it. She doesn’t seem like a freshman out there at times.”
“We all have a connection,” Kruse said. “I feel like I’m very comfortable with them. It’s not awkward. We’re all comfortable with each other. We know each other well.”
“Practically our whole team played volleyball,” Randolph said. “So we know the pressure, we know how to win tough games, we know how to put the work in. Adalyn has stepped up, and been great. We know what she can do, and I think she’s done really well.”
Holy Trinity opened the game with a 12-0 run, with Bendlage getting 10 of the points. Bendlage and Kruse combined for the Crusaders’ first 16 points, and the lead was 24-4 with a minute left in the first quarter.
Holy Trinity held Wapello (6-11) to just one point in the second quarter.
“We tried some different things defensively that we’ve been wanting to do, we just haven’t had the practice time,” Johnson said.
Holy Trinity then opened the second half with an 11-2 run over the first 3:20, with Kruse getting back-to-back baskets in that run.
“We were up pretty big at the half,” Johnson said. “We could have come out in the third quarter and not been focused. But they came out with the same focus at the beginning of the game. They didn’t come out and launch threes, do crazy things. We stayed within ourselves and kept playing our game.”
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