Boys Basketball (12/30)

Grand Meadow Ends 31-Game Losing Streak

Last season, a young Grand Meadow boys team went 0-27.  Adding in a couple losses to end the 2022-2023 campaign, and a couple more to start this season, the Superlarks losing streak sat at 31. But GM ended said streak at home versus Lyle/Pacelli. The Larks came back from double digit deficits in each half, and they also trailed in overtime! L/P started the game up 13-2, as Landon Meyer scored 11 straight Athletic points. GM nearly reeled them in by halftime, trailing by just two at 31-29. But L/P then had a stretch of making 6 of 8 field goals early in the second half. Their lead grew to 48-33.  L/P then subsequently missed 18 straight field goals. They ended the second half hitting just 1 of 22 shots! Lark senior Alex Lopez hit two huge threes with under 6:00 to go to pull GM to down 48-47. A Logan Grafe put-back basket with 2:07 gave GM its first lead, 51-50, since 2-0. Meyer scored L/P’s final nine points including hitting four free throws late. The last two freebies made it 52-51 Athletics (1:26). But Lopez then converted a tough and-one to again put GM ahead, 54-52. Meyer answered to tie the game at 54. Each team then had possession, including L/P missing three shots, including a point-blank lay-up, in the final seconds. The game went to overtime! Late in the session, with it 58-58, Lopez took an L/P turnover the other way, rattling in a lay-up to put GM ahead 60-58 (0:19.6). L/P then immediately had an inbounds violation turnover. GM’s Carter Glynn sank two free throws (0:10.4) to seal it. Chad Burmester’s Larks got off the schneid via 62-58 overtime victory! Glynn (19 pts, 9 rebs) and Lopez (18 pts, 3-7 threes, 7 rebs) led the charge. Grafe added 8 (pts) and 17 (rebs). Sawyer Hanenberger had 8 (pts) and 5 (rebs). Meyer (31 pts, 13 rebs, 5 stls) carried L/P, as he was the only Athletic in double figures. The game featured 47 total offensive rebounds; GM 21, L/P 26.  The Larks had 20 second-chance-points to L/P’s 9. GM’s last win came over LeRoy-Ostrander, 70-56, on February 20 of 2023.

Trojan Teams Sweep B.A. and Chatfield Series

Rushford-Peterson’s boys and girls basketball teams each went 2-0 on the week, as the school swept series’ with Faribault B.A. and Chatfield. The girls game at the Cardinals was the most noteworthy. Joe Hatch’s group went to overtime. R-P overcame a 25-17 halftime deficit to lead 50-43 with 1:49 left. B.A. finished regulation on an 8-1 run, tying the game 51-51 with 0:16 left. R-P missed two front ends of the one-and-one in the final 0:30. In overtime, Kaia Loney had R-P’s two field goals and Torryn Schneider a trio of steals. B.A. went 1 for 5 shooting with four turnovers, their sole field goal coming with 0:06.5 left (making the score 59-54). The Trojans prevailed 60-54. Schneider (15 pts, 6 rebs, 8 asts, 5 stls) was everywhere. Loney (13 pts, 6-11 FGs, 12 rebs) also hit double figures. Shelby Tesch and Neveah Happel (3-4 FGs, 2-2 threes) each added 9 points.  The Trojans survived a 30-turnover night. R-P then stole its way past Chatfield, goading the Gophers into 33 turnovers. Each team shot well, R-P 53% (27 of 56) to the Gophers’ 55% (15 of 32), but with a huge attempt discrepancy. The Trojans prevailed by a 75-51 final. Schneider (15 pts, 7 rebs, 6 asts, 7 stls) joined with Nadia Happel (10 pts, 6 asts, 10 stls) to control the game with their guard-play.  Loney had a game-high 19 points (7-8 FGs). Nev. Happel (11 pts, 5-7 FGs, 4 stls) and Tesch (9 pts) helped. Lexi Kivimagi (5-6 FTs) and Grace Schroeder each had 13 points to lead the Gophers. Kendall Knutson added 10. R-P improved to 3-2 in the TRC, 4-2 overall.  The boys had less trouble in the two games. Chris Drinkall’s #7 Trojans took down Faribault B.A. 94-37, scoring a season high. Creighton Hoiness (16 pts, 4-5 threes, 6-8 FGs, 4 asts) was big off the bench. Will LaFleur (15 pts, 3-6 threes, 6 stls), Cayden Lea (14 pts, 6-9 FGs, 5 stls) and Carson Johnson (13 pts, 4-6 FGs, 4-6 FTs) also made double figures. Fourteen Trojans scored. R-P hit 12 of 24 threes (50%) and 36 of 61 field goals (59%). They led 65-15 at halftime. The halftime score at Chatfield was then much closer, 31-27. But R-P out-scored the Gophers 46-25 after intermission for a 77-52 win. The Gophers were hindered by 29 turnovers. Car. Johnson (21 pts, 9-18 FGs, 9 rebs, 6 asts, 4 stls) scored a season-high to lead the way. LaFleur (16 pts, 5 asts), Jaxson Meldahl (14 pts, 3-5 threes), and Lea (14 pts, 3-5 threes, 5 rebs, 5 asts) also hit double figures.  Sophomores Carson Harstad (14 pts, 14 rebs) and Ross Stoehr (14 pts, 5-7 FGs) led Chatfield. Masyn Kreter chipped in 9 points. R-P improved to 2-1 in the TRC, but 5-1 overall with their fourth straight win.

Hurricane Boys, Lion Girls Claim Key SEC Wins

Houston and Spring Grove boys and girls split a pair of critical SEC East games – against each other. The home team claimed both contests, and both were decided early. The league-leading SG girls (2-0, 4-1) led by 15 at halftime and went on to win, 67-39. The Houston girls slipped to 1-2, 3-2. The second-place Hurricane boys (2-1, 2-2) were up by 13 at halftime and went on to win, 56-40, ending an eight-game losing streak versus SG. The Lion boys (2-2, 3 -3) slipped down to third place. Three Lion ladies scored in double figures, led by Kylie Hammel with a career-high 25 points (12-16 FGs) and a team-high six rebounds. Siri Konkel hit five treys while tossing in 18 points plus four assists. Kinley Soiney contributed 15 points and a game-high five assists. Hammel scored the first six points of the game, the Lions’ first eight points of the second half. SG made six straight field goals early in the game (a 15-2 run) which aided a 24-9 start. For Houston, Aubry Boldt had 15 points. Avery Kingsley supplied 7 points. Emily Botcher added 5 points and a game-high 7 rebounds. The Grove girls netted eight threes and passed out 21 assists with only 11 turnovers. Seven Lions had more assists than turnovers. Houston had 20 turnovers. For the Hurricane boys, Morgan Rohweder hit four of six treys in the first half during which he scored 21 of his game-high 25 points. Down by 13 at halftime, SG never got closer than 11 thereafter. Almost all stats were very close except for shooting. While the Lion boys shot a season-worst 24%, the ‘Canes were twice as accurate at 48%, the hottest of any Lion opponent this season. In addition to Rohweder’s 25 points and team-best 7 rebounds, teammate Carter Geiwitz had a game-high seven assists to go with eight points and five boards. For the Lions, Devon Williams came off the bench for 11 points. Battling foul trouble, Ben Udstuen added 10 points and a game-high eight rebounds. Bryce Berns added nine points and four steals. Ironically, the SG girls scored 67 points for the second straight game (1 win, 1 loss), while the boys were limited to 40 for the second consecutive contest.

Knights Hold on Versus Cougars

Kingsland held double digit leads in both halves, but had to hold on at the end to defeat Mabel-Canton in an SEC matchup. Jim Hubka’s Knights led by as many as 14, 50-36, after intermission.  And the lead was 53-42 with 7:26 left before M-C quickly scored eight straight to get close (53-50).  Russ Larson’s Cougars were within one, down 62-61, with 1:12 left. They had three possessions down three where they could tie, including after a steal in the final 0:10 down 66-63, but they missed three game-tying trifectas down the stretch. The Knights pulled out the 67-63 win. Senior Parker Johnson scored a career-high (31 pts, 14-24 FGs, 5 rebs) including 21 after intermission to lead the way. Max Erdman (11 pts, 6 rebs), who battled foul trouble, and Kaaleem Reiland (11 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts) helped. Darian Hershberger (26 pts, 6-6 FTs, 12 rebs, 4 stls) scored 19 in the second half to lead M-C. Isaac Underbakke (17 pts, 6-9 FGS, 7 rebs) and Kale Tollefsrud (11 pts) helped.  M-C fell to 1-3 in the SEC, 1-4 overall.

Three Rivers Conference Boys Basketball (12/20)

Caledonia 70, Wabasha-Kellogg 33 (C: Mason King 19 pts; Garrett Konz 15 pts (three threes); Reid Klug 9 pts; E. Stendel/Aaron Stemper 7 pts. The Warriors led 37-10 at halftime and improved to 4-0 in the TRC)

Southeast Conference Boys Basketball (12/17 – 12/20)

  LeRoy-Ostrander 66, Schaeffer Academy 70 (L-O: C. Hungerholt 25 pts (five threes); R. Hungerholt 20 pts. SA: Ethan VanSchepen 25 pts (12-15 FTs); Luke Frieze 24 pts (12-13 FTs). SA went 28 of 39 at the line (72%), L-O 9 of 13 (69%))

  Southland 77, Houston 48 (H: Carter Geiwitz 14 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts; Maddox Rodriguez 11 pts; Zach Olson 9 pts; Morgan Rohweder 7 pts, 6 rebs. S: Noah Georgen 24 pts. Southland won from deep nine makes to five and from the free throw line 16 of 22 (73%) to 7 of 13 (54%). The Rebels (5-0, 5-0) lead the SEC-West and are the league’s only unbeaten)

Kingsland 58, Southland 65 (K: M. Erdman 22 pts (6-9 FTs), 11 rebs, 4 blks; P. Johnson 16 pts, 12 rebs, 4 stls; C. Reiter 7 pts. Undefeated Southland led 27-26 at halftime and pulled away. It was their closest game of the year. Four Rebels made double figures led by Tate Georgen’s 16 points. Knights > 3-3, 5-4)

Grand Meadow 49, LeRoy-Ostrander 70 (L-O: C. Hungerholt 24 pts (3-6 threes), 7 rebs, 5 asts, 5 stls; R. Hungerholt 22 pts, 11 rebs; Tyson Stevens 14 pts (3-4 threes), 6 rebs, 4 stls. GM: L. Grafe 18 pts, 19 rebs; Carter Glynn 15 pts, 10 rebs; Keaton Gehling 10 pts. L-O ended the first half on a 12-0 run to turn a 27-21 game into a 39-21 halftime lead. GM went triangle-and-two on the Hungerholt brothers in the second half, as they scored 34 combined points in the first half. It worked, but Stevens hit a trio of threes and scored 14 L-O points to keep GM from cutting the lead into single digits. L-O > 1-3, 2-3)

Lanesboro 60, Grand Meadow 43 (L: Levi Rogers 14 pts (7-12 FGs), 4 asts; Nick Taylor 13 pts, 8 rebs, 5 asts; Conor Danielson 8 pts; Kyle Ruen 8 pts (4-5 FGs). GM: C. Glynn 13 pts (3-5 threes), 7 rebs; L. Grafe 8 pts, 10 rebs. GM hit 11 of 35 threes (31%) to Lanesboro’s 3 of 15 (20%) but the Burros were 24 of 49 (49%) from two-point range, GM 5 of 24 (35%). The Burros (2-3, 3-3) won their third straight. Larks > 1-4, 1-4)

Non-Conference Boys Basketball (12/16 – 12/21)

Pine Island 76, Chatfield 62 (C: Carson Harstad 15 pts (4-5 FTs), 6 rebs; Masyn Kreter 14 pts (6-10 FGs); Ross Stoehr 13 pts (4-4 FTs), 5 rebs; Ryan Rindels 8 pts. Chatfield trailed 38-28 at halftime, got as close as 63-60 with around 3:00 left. Panther Sven Oberg scored 42 pts (16-19 FGs, 4-4 FTs). It was the second straight game Chatfield lost 76-62 (Lewiston-Altura))

Hayfield 35, Kingsland 60 (K: P. Johnson 20 pts (5-7 FTs), 5 rebs; M. Erdman 13 pts (7-9 FTs), 9 rebs; Kaaleem Reiland 10 pts, 5 stls; Caden Reiter 7 pts, 7 rebs)

La Crescent/Hokah 69, Spring Grove 40 (SG: Bryce Berns 12 pts; Ben Udstuen 10 pts; Kolton Nerstad 6 pts, 6 rebs. LC-H: Berkley Misna 25 pts. The Lancers hit 14 treys, the most for a Lion opponent in regulation time in 11 years, and had only eight turnovers, fewest for an opponent in three years. SG shot a (then) season-low 30%)

Holmen 56, #2 in AA Caledonia 83 (C: R. Klug/Ethan Stendel 20 pts; M. King 14 pts; Grant King/G. Konz 12 pts. Caledonia jumped out 55-18 at halftime)

Schaeffer Academy 35, Fillmore Central 76 (FC: Bridon Bahl 18 pts (4-9 threes), 7 rebs, 6 asts; Greg Kennedy 18 pts (9-15 FGs), 9 rebs, 4 stls, 3 blks; Josh Haugerud 16 pts (4-10 threes), 9 rebs; Tyler Gulbranson 9 pts. FC (0-2, 2-5) hit 10 of 34 threes (29%), but outshot Schaeffer 47% (31 of 66) to 23% (10 of 43) from the field. It was the Lions (5-2) second loss)

Waverly-Shell Rock 61, #2 in AA Caledonia 64 (C: G. Konz 18 pts; G. King 15 pts; R. Klug 13 pts; E. Stendel 9 pts. Caledonia built a 36-26 halftime, controlled most of the game. W/SH pulled close when the Warriors missed some free throws late. FT’s: Cal 18 of 24, W-SH 14 of 19. Caledonia avenged a 75-63 loss to W/SH last year at the Decorah Border Battle)

Chatfield 38, North Fayette 62 (C: C. Harstad 17 pts (3-11 threes), 6 rebs; M. Kreter 11 pts (5-7 FGs). Chatfield trailed 35-11 at halftime. NF’s Cael Reichter, a 6’8” forward, scored 35 points. Decorah Border Battle game. Chatfield > 1-2, 3-5)