Grand Meadow’s girls entered the Hayfield holiday tourney as the sole “Journal 11” unbeaten team. Ryan Queensland’s group first took on Kenyon-Wanamingo. The Larks led 22-19 at halftime, pushing the lead as high as 41-26 after halftime. K-W ended the game on a 13-3 run, getting as close as 42-38. Lark Lexy Foster hit a late shot to make it a six-point game, which helped stoke a 44-39 win. Foster (16 pts, 11 rebs) and Lauren Queensland (13 pts, 10 rebs) double-doubled to lead the way. The Knights were held to 27% shooting (15 of 56) while GM shot 37% (16 of 43). GM also won the glass 40 to 32. Then the main course; GM (6-0) took on #6 in A Hayfield (7-1). The Vikings beat the Larks 62-40 in last year’s 1A final. The rematch was denoted by an interesting situational-basketball ending. After starting 6-0, the Larks then trailed most of the way. Hayfield ballooned a 28-24 halftime lead to 38-25 courtesy of an 10-1 run out of intermission (14:30). But GMs defense was on task. The Vikings shot 3 of 17 the rest of the way. The Larks got back in it via a 15-4 run. They twice had the ball down 42-40. But Viking Chelsea Christopherson went coast-to-coast for a key basket to make it 44-40 (4:46). She later added a three-point play to make it 49-40 (1:32). GM seemed dead, but they scored six straight points to close to down 49-46. With 0:13.7 left, Hayfield’s Kirsten Watson missed the front-end of a one-and-one. GM had life. K-Queensland took an open game-tying three, which Watson blocked. The Larks retained possession under the basket. The situational thing then came into play. With 0:04.3 left, the Vikings only guarded the three-point line and did not guard two Larks under the basket. A made GM two-point field goal would facilitate an in-bound Hayfield didn’t have to attempt with under 0:05 left. GM missed an open two and had a second shot blocked. The Vikings won 49-46. L-Queensland (16 pts, 7-13 FGs, 6 rebs) and Kendyl Queensland (13 pts, 6-7 FTs, 5 rebs, 5 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks) led the way. Foster chipped in 8 (pts) and 9 (rebs), Sydney Cotten 7 (pts), 6 (rebs), and 4 (asts). Watson (20 pts, 6-19 FGs, 1-8 threes, 5 rebs) led Hayfield. K-Queensland’s defense limited her greatly. Watson set the Vikings all-time scoring mark, surpassing 2,419 points. Natalie Beaver (14 pts, 7 rebs) and Christopherson (9 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts) helped. Turnovers were the big stat, as GM had 18 to Hayfield’s 7. It was the Larks’ first loss (2-0, 6-1).
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