Photo courtesy of Iowa Central Athletics: Lainey Maehl, a former Fort Dodge standout, drives and scores for Iowa Central on Wednesday.

The grind of the ICCAC has been a bear for the Iowa Central women this month.

On Wednesday night, the Tritons ran into one.

Playing for the final time in 2024, Iowa Central a 97-52 decision to Des Moines Area at Hodges Fieldhouse.

Iowa Central (5-9 overall, 0-5 in league) fell behind by 16 points after the first quarter and were never able to mount much of a challenge against the Bears (9-5, 2-2), who have won two of three around a loss to top-ranked Kirkwood.

Ashlin Jacobsen and Catherine Clemente each scored 10 points to lead the Tritons, while former Fort Dodge Senior High standout Lainey Maehl added four points with six rebounds and a blocked shot.

Des Moines Area, who is coached by former Prairie Valley standout Jocelyn (Anderson) Kovarik and St. Edmond grad Lydia Harvey, was led by Chloe Costello’s 22 points.

Four other Bear players reached double figures, as Whitney Jensen scored 15, Kaylee Stratton and Reagan Wheeler each added 11, and former Newell-Fonda all-stater Mary Walker contributed 10 points with four assists and four rebounds.

Costello outscored the Tritons in the first quarter by herself, 12-11, knocking down four 3-pointers. As a team, DMACC was 16 of 34 from the 3-point line while outscoring Iowa Central in the paint, 34-6.

The Bears also scored 26 points off 24 turnovers and had 24 assists on 37 made field goals. DMACC dominated on the glass, holding a 58-34 advantage, which included 22 offensive rebounds.

In the second, the Tritons nearly played the Bears even. Sharon Greek came off the bench to score six, with Jacobsen adding five.

Walker tallied eight of her 10 in the third quarter, including a pair of triples.

Jacobsen, a freshman, has scored in double figures seven times this year, including in four of her last six contests. Maehl, a sophomore, has at least four rebounds in 10 straight games.

Iowa Central dropped games in December to Kirkwood, Ellsworth, Marshalltown and Iowa Lakes, who are a combined 39-14. The Lakers own 10 of those 14 losses.

The Tritons travel to Mankato, Minn. to play the Bethany Lutheran JV on New Year’s Day.