Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Gracie Harvey shoots for St. Edmond against Iowa Falls-Alden on Tuesday night. For more photos, please visit CU.messengernews.net

CJ Tracy knows if his St. Edmond girls continue to play like they did Tuesday night, good things will happen.

The Gaels raced out to an early lead on Iowa Falls-Alden, but the Cadets battled back behind Ella Sharar to escape with a 34-26 victory inside the SEHS gym.

Sharar scored 19 points with 13 rebounds, including 14 in the second half as Iowa Falls-Alden erased a 12-point deficit.

For the Gaels, Gracie Harvey had 12 and Katie Flaherty added six points with five steals, three rebounds and a block.

“The effort was there again, and early on, we were really finishing,” Tracy said. “We just had a tough stretch there in the second quarter and it got away from us. But the girls never hung their heads and they kept battling back.

“I thought we did a better job of staying in the moment and our defensive intensity was strong once again. I know we’re getting closer.”

Harvey and Flaherty combined for nine of the 11 first quarter points for St. Edmond, as they led 11-2 after the opening eight minutes. Sharar, who came off the bench, scored five in the second to spur an 11-3 run.

The Gaels had a six-minute scoring drought that was finally broke by a Harvey bucket.

“It’s tough when you are playing defense with that much intensity to force a turnover and not finish,” Tracy said. “We were getting good looks, they just stopped falling.”

Harvey was hit with foul trouble in the second half, as Sharar scored five in the third and finished with nine in the fourth, going 7-for-8 at the free throw line.

As a team, the Cadets were 12-for-18 at the stripe compared to 7 of 15 by the Gaels.

St. Edmond was able to cling to a 26-22 lead with just over four minutes to go, but Sharar knocked down a bucket and went 6-for-6 at the line to seal the victory.

“It’s going to happen,” Tracy said. “We’re going to get that win. The girls keep working hard and getting better.”

Anna Kolacia had two points, five rebounds, three steals and a block, while Klara Baker recorded two steals.

The Gaels return to action on Thursday at West Bend-Mallard.

IOWA FALLS-ALDEN 34, ST. EDMOND 26

St. Edmond — Katie Flaherty 2 2-2 6, Mya McClain 0 2-2 2, Anna Kolacia 1 0-1 2, Emma Alstott 1 0-0 2, Gracie Harvey 3 5-10 12, Silvia Heldorfer 1 0-0 2, Alyxis Mericle 0 0-0 0, Klara Baker 0 0-0 0, Michaela Leiting 0 0-0 0. Totals: 8 7-15 26.

Iowa Falls-Alden — Allison Off 0 0-0 0, Cailin Reimer 0 2-2 2, Madison Jass 0 0-0 0, Abigail Ites 1 0-0 3, Addison Dennis 2 2-4 6, Cindi Phipps 1 0-2 3, Brooklyn Handeland 0 1-2 1, Ella Sharar 5 7-8 19. Totals: 9 12-18 34.

Quarter scores: St. Edmond led 11-2, 14-13, Iowa Falls-Alden led 21-19. Three-point goals: St. Edmond 1 (Harvey 1), Iowa Falls-Alden 4 (Ites 1, Phipps 1, Sharar 2). Total rebounds: St. Edmond 23, Iowa Falls-Alden 36. Steals: St. Edmond 14, Iowa Falls-Alden 8. Blocked shots: St. Edmond 3, Iowa Falls-Alden 2. Turnovers: St. Edmond 20, Iowa Falls-Alden 30.