Boys Basketball (1/13)

Burros and Larks Play Series at Target Center

Lanesboro and Grand Meadow basketball teams each got to play on the big floor in Minneapolis, as the teams participated in a special doubleheader at the Target Center.  Shooting was a struggle for all teams in the big arena.  Leading 15-14 at halftime, GM’s girls strung three straight makes together early in the second half to lead 21-14.   Lanesboro was then within three thrice and two once, 36-34, with 5:57 left.  But Steve Storhoff’s Burros got no closer.  They had couple possessions down 41-38 late, but missed threes each time.  Lark senior Aspen Kolling hit a key triple with 0:53 left to push GM’s lead to 45-38.  Lauren Queensland and Gracie Foster then each hit a pair of free throws to ice the win, final tally 49-41.  Ryan Queensland’s group had four in double figures, including daughter Lauren, who led her team in four statistical departments (14 pts, 11 rebs, 5 asts, 4 stls).  Kolling (11 pts, 3-7 threes), Rylee Schaufler (10 pts, 5-8 FGs, 5 rebs), and Foster (10 pts) helped.  The latter put up all her points in the second half.  Jensyn Storhoff (16 pts, 8 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls) naturally led the Burros, as the game was a battle of father/daughter coach/player teams.  Taylor Hanson chipped in 8 (pts) and 3 (blks).   Each team had 15 turnovers and made six threes.  The teams shot near identical; GM 18 of 52 (35%), Lanesboro 17 of 50 (34%).  GM was plus-six at the free throw line, making 7 of 8 (88%) to Lanesboro’s 1 of 4 (25%).  They also won on the glass 38-29.  The Larks (5-1, 8-1) got some help from Southland, which beat first place Spring Grove (2-1, 5-3) by a 57-49 tally.  GM now is three games up on the win column on the Lions atop the SEC.  The Larks have won seven straight since their only loss to SG.  The GM/Lanesboro boy’s game was controlled by Matt Asleson’s Burros, as they started the contest 14-1.  The closest GM then got was five twice, the last at 36-31 with about 6:00 to play.  It was a game where both teams struggled to score against the zone defense.  The Larks had a stretch towards the end of making just 3 of 21 shots.  The Burros prevailed 43-36, their second victory over GM this year, this of the non-conference variety. Neither team had anyone make double figures.  Levi Rogers (9 pts, 10 rebs, 4 stls) led Lanesboro, helped by Nick Taylor (8 pts), David Harvey (7 pts), Reid Olson (6 pts), and Jackson Taylor (6 pts).  N-Taylor, a 6’3” sophomore forward, had a memorable one-hand dunk in traffic in the second half.  Carter Glynn (9 pts, 10 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls) and Cohen Craft (9 pts, 8 rebs) led GM.  Craft did his work off the bench.  Logan Grafe added 4 (pts) and 10 (rebs).  Lanesboro shot 35% (18 of 52), GM 23% (13 of 56).  The Larks fell to 1-4 in the SEC, 1-7 overall.

East-Leading Warrior Teams Drop Big First Halves on PEM

Caledonia’s ranked teams each played PEM in a TRC series to start the New Year.  Both Warrior teams scored 50-plus-point first halves in wins.  PEM’s girls did better to keep pace with Scott Sorenson’s Cal girls.  Caledonia never trailed in the game, but the lead was 23-21 midway through the first half.  The Warriors ended the stanza on a 30-8 run to lead 53-29 at intermission, putting up half-a-hundo in the first 18:00.  In a foul and free throw laden contest, Caledonia prevailed 82-53.  Aubrie Klug poured in 20 first half points, as she scored a game-high 31 (4-14 threes, 7-11 FTs, 9 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls, 4 blks).  Josie Foster added 24 points (6 rebs, 6 asts, 3 blks) including making 9 of 11 free throws.  Sienna Augedahl (11 pts, 8 rebs) and Kensey King (8 pts, 16 rebs) helped, as the much taller Warriors controlled the glass 53 to 33.  The Warriors had 28 offensive rebounds, blocked nine shots, and hit 25 of 36 free throws (69%).  PEM also spent a lot of time at the free throw line, going 21 of 31 (69%).  Alyvia Engler (26 pts, 13-19 FTs, 7 stls) paced the Bulldogs.   The Class AA #6 Warriors (6-0, 10-2) stayed TRC perfect and got to 10 wins on the season.  They lead Cotter (4-2, 7-5) and Rushford-Peterson (4-2, 6-3) in the TRC-East, as the Ramblers dropped a league game to East leading Dover-Eyota (6-0, 8-4) 60-50.  PEM (4-2, 7-4) is in second place in the TRC-West.   Meanwhile, Brad King’s boys had a span of making 7 of 9 field goals in the first half, including five threes, to help build a 63-31 halftime lead.  Senior guard Mason King had 22 points and 5 assists at intermission.  In a battle of teams that played an epic 1AA title game not too long ago, PEM now is not PEM then, and the Warriors prevailed 89-41.  King (24 pts, 5-9 threes, 4 rebs, 6 asts, 5 stls) and Reid Klug (17 pts, 3-4 threes) did the biggest damage for team Cal.  Ethan Stendel (10 pts, 5-8 FGs), Grant King (8 pts, 5 rebs), Tyler Hoscheit (8 pts), Zeke Gengler (8 pts, 4 stls), and Noah Treptow (7 pts, 6 rebs) gave the Warriors seven with seven-plus points.  Cal’s boys also beat Maranatha Christian, 82-58, in a Southern Minnesota Hoops Festival game.  The Warriors subbed in for late drop-out La Crescent/Hokah.  M-King scored 26 points (4-10 threes, 5 stls).  Konz (14 pts, 11 rebs) and Klug (14 pts, 7 rebs) also hit double figures.  Stendel (9 pts, 17 rebs) and Coby Hammell (4 pts, 12 rebs) combined for 29 boards.  G-King added 7 (pts) and (4 stls).  The Class AA #2 Warriors (5-0, 9-1) lead the TRC-East over R-P (4-1, 8-1)

Hurricane Teams Continue Good Starts

Houston’s basketball teams continued their good starts to the season with three combined wins on either side of New Year’s Day.  Heath Olson’s girls won twice on the week.  The Hurricanes out-scored Randolph 55-29 in the second half, shot a season-high 61% for the game (38 of 62), and scored a season-high point-total in posting an 85-47 win.  The strong junior guard twosome of 5’11” Aubry Boldt (26 pts, 13-21 FGs, 6 rebs, 5 asts, 3 stls) and 5’6” Avery Kingsley (25 pts, 11-17 FGs, 5 rebs, 4 asts) combined for 51 points on 63% shooting.  Emily Botcher (14 pts, 6-8 FGs, 5 rebs) and Jorja Meyer (8 pts, 5 rebs) helped.  Both Houston teams trekked to Decorah for a couple re-scheduled Border Battle contests with MFL-Mar-Mac (Monona-Farmersburg-Luana-Marquette-MacGregor).   The girls jumped out 20-5 on the Bulldogs and then won by 14, 50-36.  Kingsley (20 pts, 7-12 FGs) authored her second 20-plus-point game of the week/season as she rounds back to form after an off-season knee injury.  Boldt added 15 points (5-8 FGs) and four rebounds.  The Hurricanes improved to 7-3 overall (3-2 in the SEC).   Jake Merchlewitz’s guys had just one game, playing MFL-Mar Mac.   After averaging 10.3 PPG prior to the span, senior Carter Geiwitz (20 pts, 8-12 FTs, 10 rebs) authored his third straight 20-plus-point game.  Hitting 16 of 23 free throws (70%), the ‘Canes got the 60-52 win.  Morgan Rohweder (16 pts, 3-6 threes, 10 rebs) also had a double-double.  Maddox Rodriguez (8 pts) and Zach Olson (7 pts, 8 rebs) helped.  It was the senior-laden “Canes” fourth straight win, as they improved to 5-2 overall (3-1 in the SEC).   Schaeffer Academy (5-1, 5-2) leads the SEC-East over the Hurricanes.

Falcons Hand Lewiston-Altura Second Loss

Fillmore Central entered with a 2-8 record in fourth place in the TRC East.  Lewiston-Altura entered with a 7-1 record in second place in the TRC West.  But coming off a rough home showing in a 77-69 loss to Hayfield (See “Non-Conference Boys Basketball” for more), FC put on a much better performance in handling the Cardinals.  The game had one big run, by the home Falcons, 12-0 later in the first half.  It put Andy Todd’s group up 35-22.  L-A had a 1 for 16 shooting drought to aid the spurt.  The Falcons then kept the Cards at arm’s reach the rest of the way.  The closest L-A then got was down five in the second half.  Falcon reserve forward Atlee Hershberger hit three critical threes after intermission, the last with 2:08 left to put the Falcons up 73-62.  Sophomore guard Bridon Bahl, who got FC going with a 21-point first half, then hit 4 of 4 free throws late to help fully close the door.  L-A hit a three at the buzzer to make the final 77-72, Falcons. Bahl (30 pts, 9-16 FGs, 4-7 threes, 8-10 FTs, 5 rebs) scored a career-high.  Josh Haugerud (13 pts, 5 rebs, 6 asts, 4 stls), Anthony Kiehne (13 pts, 6 rebs), and Greg Kennedy (10 pts, 13 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls) also hit double figures.  Hershberger was 3 of 5 from deep for his nine points.  Point guard Clayton Schoepski added six assists.  Zane Nelson (31 pts, 3-7 threes, 8-10 FTs, 16 rebs) led the Cardinals, scoring 27 in the second half.  FC was plus-18 from deep, hitting 11 of 26 threes (42%) to L-A’s 5 of 20 (25%). The Cardinals were 0 of 9 in the first half from deep.  FC improved to 1-3 in the TRC, 3-8 overall.

Cougars Post Wins Over B.A. and L/P

After an 0-3 start to the season, Russ Larson’s Mabel-Canton Cougars have won three of five games including two road contests to start 2025.  At Faribault B.A., M-C shot 46% (26 of 57) and got a double-double from Darian Hershberger (22 pts, 7-10 FGs, 7-8 FTs, 11 rebs).  The Cougars led 42-23 at the half, saw the edge trimmed all the way down to four (48-44) in the second half, before rising-up for a 74-59 win.  Tyler Larson (19 pts, 5-14 threes, 6 rebs) and Isaac Underbakke (13 pts, 6-11 FGs, 9 rebs, 4 asts) also had big games.  Larson’s five threes were a season-high.  Kale Tollefsrud added 7 (pts), 4 (rebs), and 5 (asts) on 5 of 6 made free throws.  The Cougars won at the free throw line 14 of 22 (64%) to B.A.’s 9 of 18 (50%).  M-C then won at Lyle/Pacelli 73-64, never trailing in the game.  Hershberger (19 pts, 6-11 FGs, 7-9 FTs, 11 rebs) authored his fourth double-double in five games.  Underbakke (19 pts, 9 rebs, 11 asts) nearly recorded a triple double.  Larson (11 pts), Kale Eiken (10 pts, 3-3 threes), and Tollefsrud (8 pts, 5 asts) helped.  L/P was 9 of 37 (24%) from deep, M-C 7 of 18 (39%).  The Cougars out-scored L/P in the paint 36-26.  M-C improved to 2-3 in the SEC, 3-5 overall.

Knights Sweep Cardinals in Series

Kingsland and LeRoy-Ostrander tangled for their first of two boys/girls’ basketball series.  The boy’s game had some strong individual scorers going at it in a re-match of the 9-Man football finals but on the hardcourt.  Knight Max Erdman scored a game-high 29 points (9-15 FGs, 5-9 threes, 6-8 FTs) and snared 15 rebounds.  Teammate Parker Johnson added 20 points (8-14 FGs) as Jim Hubka’s group got the 64-52 win.  Cam Hungerholt scored a game-high 24 points to lead L-O, as he made 11 of 14 free throws.  Brother Reid Hungerholt chipped 14 points.  Ryder Stern added 6 (pts), 6 (rebs), and 4 (stls).   Kingsland hit 8 of 17 (47%) threes, L-O 1 of 17.  The Knights improved to 4-3 in the SEC, 6-4 overall.  L-O fell to 1-4, 2-6.   The girl’s game was a battle of teams needing a win.  John Fenske’s Knights got it, 51-38, ending a five-game losing streak.  Macy Runck (15 pts, 3-9 threes, 4 asts) was the only player in double figures.  Lydia Redman (9 pts), Chantle Reiland (9 pts), and Hailee Warren (5 pts, 7 rebs) also aided the double-K cause.  Miranda Nagel (9 pts, 12 rebs), Maria Almaraz-Nolt (8 pts, 7 rebs), and Benita Nolt (7 pts, 12 rebs) did work for the Cardinals.  The Knights improved to 1-2 in the SEC, 2-5 overall.  L-O fell to 0-5, 0-8.

Conference Boys Basketball (1/3)

Wabasha-Kellogg 42, #7 in A Rushford-Peterson 93 (R-P: Cole Thompson 18 pts (4-4 threes, 7-8 FGs); Cayden Lea 16 pts (7-11 FGs), 5 asts; Zach Baker 13 pts (5-6 FGs); Will LaFleur 11 pts (4-6 FGs); Carson Johnson 9 pts; Landon Dahl 8 pts (4-4 FGs), 5 rebs.  R-P shot 58% from the field (38 of 66) and 59% from deep (10 of 17).  Thirteen Trojans scored.  R-P has scored 70-plus in all its games, short of a 77-58 loss to #2 in AA Caledonia.  The Trojans are averaging 78 points per game)

Chatfield 65, La Crescent/Hokah 67 (C: Carson Harstad 19 pts (7-8 FTs), 7 rebs, 4 asts; Masyn Kreter 14 pts (7-11 FGs), 8 rebs; Ryan Rindels 13 pts, 5 rebs; Ross Stoehr 12 pts, 6 rebs.  Chatfield started up 9-0 but trailed 29-26 at halftime.  The Lancers led by 11 with around 5:00 left, only for Chatfield to tie the game 61-61.  Down 67-65 with 0:14, a Gopher game-winning shot at the buzzer did not fall.  Chatfield > 1-4, 4-7) 

Southeast Conference Boys Basketball (1/3)

Southland 64, Spring Grove 51 (SG: Ben Udstuen 17 pts, 10 rebs, 5 asts; Caleb Eiken 12 pts. Nine three-pointers propelled Southland to a 15-point halftime lead.  Changing defenses at intermission, the Lions rallied back to within three points, but the undefeated Rebels then scored the next 12 points. Southland finished with 12 treys, shooting 48% from afar.  The Rebels (6-0, 9-0) are the SEC’s sole unbeaten and leads the West.   SG > 2-3, 3-6)

Non-Conference Boys Basketball (1/2 – 1/4)

Hayfield 77, Fillmore Central 69 (FC: Josh Haugerud 19 pts (6-17 threes), 6 rebs, 4 stls; Clayton Schoepski 14 pts, 5 rebs, 8 asts; Anthony Kiehne 15 pts (5-14 threes), 4 stls; Bridon Bahl 12 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls; Greg Kennedy 9 pts, 17 rebs, 5 blks.  H: Charlie Walker 30 pts (7-10 threes); Rylan Nelson 22 pts (4-6 threes).  FC trailed 40-31 at halftime, tied the game at 43 with a 12-3 run, only to then give up a 19-3 Viking spurt to trail 62-46.  FC shot a ridiculous 58 three-pointers, making 15 (26%).  They took half as many two-point shots (10 of 26 > 39%).  Hayfield hit 11 of 18 threes (61%) and 16 of 22 free throws (73%))

Crestwood 36, Lanesboro 52 (L: N. Taylor 16 pts, 8 rebs; Mason Gilbertson 10 pts (2-2 FGS, 5-5 FTs); L. Rogers 7 pts, 5 rebs.  Lanesboro shot 38% (18-47), Crestwood 22% (11 of 49). Rescheduled Decorah Border Battle game.  Burros > 2-3, 5-5)