Hurricanes Notch Notable Early Win Over Schaeffer Academy
Schaeffer Academy entered the contest riding high after beating usual SEC-East top dog Spring Grove. The Rochester Lions entered undefeated (4-0, 4-0) with other SEC wins over Kingsland, Lanesboro and Mabel-Canton. Houston entered having played just one game, with about a week since it occurred. But that did not stop Jake Merchlewitz’s group from officially throwing their name in the SEC top tier hat. Houston controlled SA, building a 32-18 halftime lead and winning by 20, 58-38. Senior 1,000-point scorer Morgan Rohweder posted a game-high 21 points, a double-double with 12 rebounds. He hit five of 14 threes and added six steals. Rohweder hit more threes than Schaeffer did as a team. The Lions had two. They had hit at least six in each of their first four wins (had 26 total). Carter Geiwitz (16 pts, 4-5 FTs, 8 rebs, 5 asts) added a well-round line while Maddox Rodriguez (12 pts, 5-7 FGs) also hit double figures. SA was led by the duo of Ethan VanSchepen (12 pts, 13 rebs) and Luke Frieze (10 pts). Each came in averaging over 20 points per game, 48 points-per-game collectively. Frieze did not finish the game after getting injured. Houston is 1-0 in the SEC, 1-1 overall.
Cougars Escape Grand Meadow
Mabel-Canton rode 20 first half second-chance-points to a 45-29 halftime lead at Grand Meadow. Russell Larson’s Cougars then had to hold on to beat the Larks, in a down-to-the-wire SEC game. M-C had 11 offensive rebounds to key their big first half lead. Cougar junior guard Isaac Underbakke had seven assists in the stanza to help put M-C ahead by 16 at intermission. GM also had 13 turnovers to M-C’s seven in the half. But the Cougars scored on just four of their first 24 second half possession. Cael Wangsness scored all nine points. GM rallied with an 18-5 run to erase a 49-36 Cougar lead. Graham Eastlee’s only bucket of the game was a three-pointer that tied the contest at 54 with 6:40 remaining. M-C still stayed ahead, with Nolan Garness hitting a key three (his only shot of the night), to make it 65-61 Cougars with 2:13 left. But GM got five straight points from Alex Lopez, the last a two-point bucket to give the Larks their first lead, 66-65, of the second half. Down the stretch, M-C’s Kale Tollefsrud scored eight of the Cougars’ final nine points, making six of six free throws, and getting a leak-out lay-up. Lopez scored GM’s final seven points including a bucket with 0:20 left to make it 71-68. But Kale Eiken then hit one-of-two at the line and Tollefsrud hit his last two with 0:07.8 to ice it. GM missed two threes in the final 0:15 and Cougars held for the 74-68 win. Five Cougars made double figures led Tollefsrud (17 pts, 7-7 FTs, 4 asts, 3 stls), Underbakke (10 pts, 9 rebs, 11 asts), who narrowly missed a triple double, and Darian Hershberger (13 pts, 16 rebs), who had a big double-double. Wangsness (12 pts, 4-7 FGs) and Tyler Larson (10 pts, 6 rebs) helped. Carter Glynn (18 pts, 10 rebs, 6 asts) led GM. Lopez (16 pts) and Keaton Gehling (14 pts, 3-14 threes) helped. Cohen Craft added 8 points. Skyler Wangen had 12 rebounds with 3 points. M-C was 9 of 28 from deep (32%), GM 8 of 40 (20%). M-C converted 15 of 18 freebies (83%) to GM’s 10 of 13 (77%). GM was looking for its first win since February 2023. M-C (1-2 in the SEC, 1-3) picked up its first win this year. GM fell to 0-2 in the SEC, 0-2 overall.
Trojan Teams Post Three Total Wins
Rushford-Peterson’s basketball teams played three total games on the week and posted three wins including notably sweeping a series with La Crescent/Hokah. Chris Drinkall’s Class A #9-ranked boys first topped Hayfield handily in non-conference action, 71-28. Carson Johnson (16 pts, 7-11 FGs, 5 rebs, 7 asts) and Cayden Lea (12 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts, 5 stls) each were extra busy. Zach Baker (12 pts, 6-10 FGs), Will LaFleur (12 pts, 5 rebs), and Jaxson Meldahl (8 pts, 5 asts, 4 stls) aided the cause. R-P posted the easy win despite hitting just 3 of 21 threes (14%). They were 28 of 48 (58%) from two-point range and had 17 offensive boards. The boys then won at La Crescent/Hokah 66-47. The Lancers swept last year’s set of games. Lea (23 pts, 7-10 FTs, 6 rebs, 5 stls) and Car. Johnson (15 pts, 4 rebs, 4 asts, 5 stls) again led the way. Caden Johnson (9 pts, 3-4 FGs, 3-4 FTs), LaFleur (7 pts, 5-6 FTs, 5 rebs), and Meldahl (7 pts) gave the Trojans five with seven or more points. R-P was just 4 of 17 (24%) from deep, but they made 20 of 32 free throws (63%). The Trojans improved to 1-1 in the TRC, 3-1 overall, sole loss coming to Class AA #2 Caledonia. Meanwhile, Joe Hatch’s girls had no problem taking out the Lancers, 69-40 at home. They started the game 13-0 and led 33-16 at halftime. Six Trojans scored at least eight points; Kaia Loney (12 pts, 6-9 FGs, 8 rebs), Allanah Skalet (12 pts, 4 asts), Nadia Happel (12 pts, 5-5 FTs), Ava Helgemoe (10 pts), Shelby Tesch (9 pts, 4 stls), and Emily Helgemoe (8 pts, 6 asts). Torryn Schneider did not score (0-6 FGs) but went for 8 (rebs), 6 (asts), and 7 (stls). R-P’s girls improved to 2-2 in the TRC/overall.
#2 Warriors Handle TRC Business, Felled by #8 Onalaska
The Caledonia boys basketball schedule is going to fluctuate all year between their normal TRC games, many of which will not be particularly competitive, and then a very competitive non-conference schedule. The week of December 9 was exactly just that, as Brad King’s Class AA #2-ranked guys handled TRC contests with La Crescent/Hokah and Fillmore Central, but fell in a ranked-ranked game at Onalaska. The matchup with the Lancers was of last year’s Co-TRC East Champs. It was a game where the home Warriors never trailed, jumping out 24-4 and leading 45-27 at halftime. Caledonia had two first half turnovers and thus attempted 45 shots (16 makes). They coasted to an 84-62 win. Mason King (20 pts, 5-11 threes, 4 asts) paced Caledonia. Garrett Konz (15 pts, 8 rebs), Reid Klug (15 pts, 11 rebs), and Grant King (14 pts, 5 asts) also hit double figures. Ethan Stendel chipped in 8 (pts) and 6 (rebs). Ryan Nutter had 15 points to lead LC/H. The Lancers hit 12 threes, but nine came in the second half. At the Hilltoppers, things were tougher versus the #8-ranked team in Wisconsin D-II. The Warriors were down key players Ethan Stendel (Football All-Star Game) and Ben Stemper (injury). They led 30-28 at the half, but Onalaska had a 15-0 run on six of seven shooting early in the second half to lead 46-34. Onalaska hit seven second half threes all told, all in the first 12-minutes. Caledonia closed to down 68-61, but got no closer. The Hilltoppers prevailed 80-70. Klug (27 pts, 10-15 FGs, 6-7 FTs, 11 rebs, 6 stls), Konz (25 pts, 9-15 FGs, 8 rebs), and G-King (13 pts, 5 rebs) scored 65 of Caledonia’s 70 points. Onalaska had five in double figures; Broden Steiner (18 pts), Ian Kowal (15 pts, 9 rebs), Tyler Kowal (13 pts), Jack Smith (11 pts, 11 rebs, 5 stls), and Tristan Molling (11 pts). The Hilltoppers starting five is all 6’2” or taller. Caledonia won last year’s matchup 96-94 in two overtimes. The Warriors rebounded by handling Fillmore Central 91-48 on the road. FC was within two at 11-9 about six minutes into the game before the Warriors won the rest of the half 48-20 to lead 59-29 at intermission. Mason King (20 pts, 4-8 threes), Konz (17 pts, 8-8 FTs, 7 rebs), Klug (15 pts, 7 rebs), Coby Hammell (11 pts, 5-9 FGs, 6 rebs), and Aaron Stemper (10 pts) all made double figures for the Warriors. Grant King added 8 (pts), 5 (rebs), and 4 (stls). Sophomore Bridon Bahl scored 19 points (5-9 threes) to lead the Falcons. Tyler Gulbranson and Anthony Kiehne each added seven points. Caledonia’s Stendel and FC’s Greg Kennedy both did not play (Minnesota Football All-Star game). Caledonia (3-0, 3-1) leads the TRC-East over R-P (1-1, 3-1) and Cotter (1-1, 2-3).
Lions Cold, Then Hot in SEC Split
Spring Grove, after suffering through its coldest-shooting night in an agonizing 51-47 home loss to East Division-leading Schaffer Academy, enjoyed its best-shooting game in a late-breaking 65-50 road win at Kingsland. Against those other Lions from Schaeffer, the Grove guys gave up a few easy baskets to fall behind, 12-2, a hole from which they would never escape. SG, down 26-20 at halftime, got back within one point at 26-25, but Schaeffer would stay ahead by two to eight points the rest of the game. SG shot well enough with two-pointers, especially having to contend inside with 6’6” shot intimidator Joe Grenz (5 blocks) and 6’3” All-SEC Ethan Van Schepen (20 pts, 12 rebs). Van Schepen combined with Luke Freize (22 pts) to score 42 of SA’s 51 points. But from beyond the 3-point arc, where Schaeffer shot 35% (6 of 17), the home team was a woeful 17% (4 for 24) and could never quite catch up. Bryce Berns (13 pts) did go two for five from downtown, while five teammates combined to go two for 19. All-SEC Ben Udstuen led SG with a 13-point, career-high 14-rebound double-double, plus a career-best six blocked shots. Udstuen was strong again at Kingsland, where despite sitting out a fifth of the game in foul trouble, he still scored a career-high 28 points, hitting 10 of 12 shots from the field (4 of 4 threes). Berns added 15 points in a strange game that saw 18 lead changes before being decided by a 15-point margin (65-50). Tied at halftime, neither team led by more than four points (only once) until the Kingsland attack unexpectedly stalled during the final seven minutes, during which the Lions scored 15 of the game’s final 17 points. SG shot a season-best 41% from three-point land while the Knights fired in a strong 38%. Both shot well overall, SG 48%, KHS 44%. All-SEC Max Erdman led the Knights with 23 points, including a trio of triples, and eight rebounds. Parker Johnson added 14 points, six boards. The Lions improved to 2-1 SEC, 3-1 overall, while the Knights left at 2-2, 3-3.
Three Rivers Conference Boys Basketball (12/10 – 12/13)
Chatfield 51, PEM 68 (C: Carson Harstad 15 pts, 10 rebs; Masyn Kreter 10 pts; Ross Stoehr 10 pts. Chatfield trailed 39-15 at the half, albeit outscored the Bulldogs 36 to 29 in the second half. PEM’s Jack Schrieber had 24 points and 17 rebounds)
Fillmore Central 38, Cotter 59 (FC: Greg Kennedy 12 pts, 8 rebs; Bridon Bahl 8 pts, 6 rebs. FC shot 28% (14 of 50))
Chatfield 62, Lewiston-Altura 76 (C: Cal Sturgis 17 pts; R. Stoehr 15 pts (6-8 FTs), 9 rebs; M. Kreter 11 pts, 7 rebs; C. Harstad 4 pts, 6 rebs, 3 asts, 5 stls. Chatfield had 30 turnovers including 20 in the first half to trail 39-29 at intermission. Gophers > 1-1, 3-2)
Southeast Conference Boys Basketball (12/10)
LeRoy-Ostrander 56, Southland 97 (L-O: R. Hungerholt 22 pts (6-7 FTs); Camden Hungerholt 18 pts (3-9 threes); Tyson Stevens 8 pts. Southland led just 35-32 at intermission, before out-scoring L-O 62-24 in the second half. Cardinals > 0-2, 1-2)
Lyle/Pacelli 48, Lanesboro 64 (L: L. Rogers 22 pts (10-20 FGs), 7 rebs; Jackson Taylor 13 pts (5-7 FGs), 6 rebs; Nick Taylor 11 pts, 14 rebs, 3 asts, 2 stls, 2 blks; Conor Danielson 8 pts, 4 stls. Building a 31-15 halftime lead, Lanesboro won its first game)
Non-Conference Boys Basketball (12/9 – 12/14)
Medford 38, Kingsland 75 (K: M. Erdman 31 pts (12-22 FGs, 5-7 FTs), 7 rebs, 3 stls; Parker Johnson 15 pts, 9 rebs; Seth Howard 7 pts; Kaaleem Reiland 7 pts, 5 rebs, 4 stls; Zach Reiland 5 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts, 4 stls. Kingsland shot a season-high 48% (30 of 62))
Rochester STEM 35, Lanesboro 74 (L: L. Rogers 13 pts; N. Taylor 13 pts; Conor Danielson 10 pts, 5 rebs; Boone Moen 9 pts; Kyle Ruen 8 pts. Twelve Burros scored. Lanesboro > 1-3, 2-3)
Blooming Prairie 66, Fillmore Central 42 (FC: Josh Haugerud 13 pts, 9 rebs; Atlee Hershberger 10 pts. Blossom senior Brady Kittleson scored his 1,000th career point. FC’s Greg Kennedy did not play (Football All-Star Game). Falcons > 0-2, 1-5)
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