Boys Basketball (3/16)

Boys Basketball: Tradition and Lineage Lead Warriors Back to 1AA Finals

Caledonia boys basketball graduated a spectacular class last year, one that took the Warriors all the way to the state semifinals. After a year up ups and downs, with some good wins and some tough losses, a new group of Warriors, returning just one starter from last year, has again made the Section 1AA finals. They feistily battled through two larger foes, getting big shots from, non-shockingly, another King, to prevail in both games. 

Brad King’s Warriors (6-seed, 16-10) started by getting revenge on Cannon Falls (3-seed, 21-6). The Bombers, with a starting line-up of 6’1”, 6’1”, 6’3”, 6’3”, and 6’4”, handled Caledonia in late February by 81-63 final. In the rematch, the Warriors, with just one 6’3” starter, generally kept the bigger Bombers in front of them, forcing CF to make shots, and it was a recipe for narrow Cal success. The Warriors took the lead at 5-4 and then never trailed nor was there a tie. The lead at the half was eight, 30-22. Caledonia’s largest edge was nine at 42-33 (in the second half). CF made 8 of its first 11 shots of the second stanza, but the Warriors made five of their first nine. They stayed ahead despite the Bombers sharp shooting. With 2:28 left, Cannon’s Ryan Hjellming hit a three to cut the Warrior lead to 57-54. After a bucket by Caledonia’s Coby Hammell made it 59-54, CF’s Abram Tennessen scored, then made two free throws. With 0:25.4 left, the Warriors clung to a 59-58 lead, their narrowest of the second half. But sophomore Grant King, who carried Caledonia offensively with his strong backdown and acrobatic interior offense, then hit two free throws with 0:22.4 left to make it 61-58. Cannon missed three threes thereafter, two deep shots with time not an issue. Caledonia toughed it out by a 61-58 final. King scored 28 points while adding 6 rebounds. He led all scorers and was the only Warrior in double figures. But Hammell, Aaron Stemper, Colin Stemper, and Griffin Gantenbein all scored 7 points. The latter scored the Warriors final seven points of the first half. Hammell added a team best 12 rebounds. Tennessen (17 pts, 7 rebs), Hjellming (14 pts), and Miles Rechtzigal (10 pts) hit double figures for the Bombers. Brooks Rechtzigel (9 pts, 7 rebs) and Tyler Meyers (8 pts, 9 rebs) helped. Cal won turnovers 8 to 14. They were plus-three at the charity stripe, 14 of 21 (67%) to 11 of 18 (61%), in a three-point win. The Warriors hit 21 of 50 shots (35%), CF 22 of 49 (45%). Caledonia narrowly won from deep, hitting 5 of 19 threes (26%) to CF’s 3 of 18 (17%). CF had 37 rebounds, Cal 36, but the Warriors won on the offensive-glass 15 to 9, which fueled a 21 to 12 edge in second-chance-points. In the teams’ last playoff meeting in 2023-2024, Bomber Dylan Banks scored at the buzzer to lead Cannon to an 82-81 win. 

The Warriors (6-seed, 17-10) then rematched with Zumbrota-Mazeppa (2-seed, 23-4) in the 1AA semifinals. A year ago, Caledonia took it to the Cougars 71-48. This year’s task was a bit larger for the much shorter than last year Warriors. Z-M’s starting lineup included 6’9” Ethan Miller, 6’7” Karsten Miller, 6’3” Bakster Arendt, and 6’3” Hudson Ohm. The Warriors were smaller at every position, but like against Cannon, they stayed between the Cougars and the basket and battled tenaciously leading to a memorable finish. It was a halfcourt defensive scrap. Z-M shot 48% (10 of 21) in the first half but had eight turnovers while Caledonia shot 39% (11 of 28) with just four turnovers. The Warriors hit five threes in the stanza to Z-M’s two leading to a slim 30-29 Cougar halftime lead. The second half was again a chess-match of finding a way to score. Ten minutes into the half, the score was 37-35 Cougars. The teams had battled to a 7-6 game through more than half the stanza. With Cal leading 39-37, Z-M hit four straight shots including threes by Grady Streit, Ohm, and E-Miller. The later gave the Cougars a 48-43 lead with exactly 3:00 left. But Warrior senior guard Zeke Gengler responded with a three (2:02) and fellow senior Aaron Stemper hit a fade in the lane (1:08) and the game was tied 48-48. Z-M finished off the game with three missed shots and two turnovers, E-Miller missing an open three in the final 10 seconds. In the final 6.7 ticks, Warrior Grant King went the distance but missed a tough hanger and the game went to overtime tied 48-48! But the sophomore whose family lineage includes cousins Owen, Noah, and Eli, plus brother Mason, then was the man in the extra session. Z-M got a Streit three to lead 53-50 early (2:53), but they then did not score until the final 30 seconds. King scored back-to-back Warriors baskets, an awkward finish and then a fade in the lane, to make it 54-53 Warriors (0:53). The 6’9” Miller then missed a post fadeaway. With 25.8 left, King was fouled and clutchly made two one-and-one free throws to extend the lead to three at 56-53. Arendt then hit a driving layup for Z-M to make it 56-55 (0:08). King then again got free and again was fouled with 6.4 left to go. For the season, free throws have been like the young Warrior team, up and down, but King replicated his accomplishment from seconds earlier, massively nailing both in another one-and-one situation. Streit then got a good look on a pull-up three but missed and time expired as the rebound bounded into the air. The defending section champ Warriors lived to truly defend their section title in the section title game by way of a 58-55 overtime win! The Warriors did not miss a shot in overtime, going 3 of 3 from the field and 4 of 4 at the line (with one turnover). King again led the way (26 points) including hitting 10 of 11 free throws. It was like the CF game. No other Warrior made double figures, but A-Stemper (8 pts), Colin Stemper (8 pts), Gengler (7 pts, 5 rebs), and Jacob Klug (7 pts, 5 rebs) all helped. Hammell, the tallest Warrior at 6’3”, and only true post play, had just two points but grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds. Arendt led the Cougars with 16 points (14 in the first half). Ohm (14 pts, 3-9 threes, 6 rebs) and E-Miler (12 pts, 12 rebs) also hit double figures. Streit added 9 points (3-6 threes). Despite the size discrepancy, the Warriors, mostly guards, won the glass 41-34, including a 12 to 8 offensive rebound edge. They also took care of the ball better with nine turnovers to Z-M’s 17. Shooting-wise, the Warriors were 20 of 58 (35%) including 6 of 27 from deep (22%). Z-M shot 18 of 50 (36%) including 7 of 20 from deep (35%). Both teams hit 12 free throws, though the Warriors finished the game 10 of 11 after a 2 of 7 start. Caledonia (6-seed, 18-10) moves on to face #2 in AA Goodhue (1-seed, 28-1), whose only loss was when they were short-handed versus Cotter/Hope Lutheran (82-71 in December). The Wildcats topped Triton and Pierce Petersohn 83-71 in the first 1AA semifinal. Said game between the Warriors and Wildcats will be a battle between last year’s 1AA and 1A champs. 

Boys Basketball: Petersohn Ends Rushford-Peterson’s Season

By record and streaks, it was an eye-opening Section 1AA quarterfinal. Fourth-seeded Rushford-Peterson (24-3), ye of 21 wins in its last 22 games, played five-seeded Triton (24-4), ye of 18 wins in its last 19 games. But the real eye-opener is watching Triton 6’5” senior Pierce Petersohn (pronounced Peter-Shawn) play. The one-time Penn State football commit turned Virginia Tech signee, and 6’10” high jumper in track and field, was unstoppable. Chris Drinkall’s group did their best to keep up by hoisting, and hitting, a gaggle of threes, but the Cobras were too much. Triton twice hit threes in bunches, and each were key in the game. The Cobras hit three deep shots right of the gate to build a quick 13-3 lead. They then never trailed. But the good shooting Trojans hit 16 threes for the game. They bombed away and kept playing. Trailing 43-32 at intermission, R-P scored 12 of 14 points to start the second half to close to down 45-44. It was a close as R-P got. The Cobras then scored eight points in a row to build the lead back to 53-44. With under 6-minutes to go, the Trojans were within five at 65-60. But the Cobras then hit three more threes in a cluster, their only deep attempts and makes of the second half. Petersohn had two including a rise-up three no Trojan could stop. Said triples were part of a 11-2 run as Triton expanded its lead to 76-62 (2:18). The Cobras went 6 for 6 from the field amidst the spurt. Like last year’s Section 1A title game, the Trojans shot until the end. R-P scored 11 points in the final minute but never got closer than six points. The Trojans’ fine season was ended by an 84-76 final. Petersohn scored 39 points (14-24 FGs, 3-4 threes) with 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. His most highlight real play was blocking a Trojans three, corralling the block, taking off up court, dribbling behind his back to avoid an R-P defender, then finishing the play with a two-handed dunk. William Thiemann, a 6’5” junior, and 6’2” Graden Thomas each added 15 points for the Cobras. Leading R-P were guards Cayden Lea (23 pts, 5 asts) and Will LaFleur (22 pts) who each his six threes (6 of 13 and 6 of 15 respectively). Cole Thompson (9 pts, 3-5 threes, 5 rebs, 4 asts) and Carson Johnson (6 pts, 8 rebs) helped. The Trojans played most the game without senior forward Landon Dahl, their most purely athletic player, who was in foul trouble and fouled out (a definitive hindrance). For the game, R-P hit 16 of 40 threes (40%) but attempted less than half as many twos against the longer Cobras, 11 of 19 (58%). The Trojans thus shot 46% overall (27 of 59). Triton shot 58% (32 of 55) including 7 of 11 from deep (64%). R-P’s season ends at 24-4. They match last year’s 24-win season and have gone 48-9 the past two years including grabbing this year’s TRC-East title. Graduating are LaFleur, Dahl, Jaxson Meldahl, Zach Baker (who missed this year to injury) and Landon Volkman. In R-P’s four losses, to Caledonia, Goodhue, Dover-Eyota, and the Cobras, they gave up their four highest points totals of the year, 71 (tie), 80, 99, and 84. The Trojans finish the year averaging a paltry 80.6 points per game. They hit 290 three-pointers at a 40% team clip, which is gawdy for high school basketball. 

Boys Basketball: 10-seed W-K Upsets 2-seed Burros

Upstart Wabasha-Kellogg (9-18) played with house money. The 10-seed already was expected to lose in the Round of 16, did not, and decided it might as well just keep winning in the 1A quarterfinals versus 2-seed Lanesboro (21-6). The Falcons shot well all game long, including making four of their first five out of the gate to jump out 9-3. And Burros standout Nick Taylor had an off-game including missing his first seven shots all in the first few minutes. At halftime, W-K led 35-27 behind 56% shooting (14 of 25). The Burros meanwhile hit 11 of 29 shots (39%). Taylor, a 6’7” 20 point-per-game guy, was 3 of 14 from the field. In the second half, W-K hit back-to-back-to-back threes to go ahead 44-30, but Lanesboro then pushed, much behind 5’8” junior guard Conor Danielson. He scored 12 straight Burros points, enabling a 12-2 team run to make it 46-42. Minutes later, aided by three-point plays by both Taylor and Preston Clarke, the Burros took the lead at 50-49. It was their only edge of the second half. Despite 6’3” forward/center Bryar Ender sitting with four fouls, W-K rallied with an 10-2 run to go ahead 59-52 with 5:32 left. They kept the Burros at arm’s reach until the final minute. Danielson banked in a three with 1:14 left to make it 65-61. After a press-induced steal, Taylor slammed two points home to make it 65-63. The Burros’ press then forced a jump-ball, possession arrow Lanesboro. With a chance to tie or go ahead, team orange and black had a turnover. Ender, whose size and physical defense on Taylor was notable, then sank two free throws (0:43.1), blocked and rebounded a Burro shot, then made two more freebies (0:34.7) to make it 69-63. All told, the Falcons made 8 of 10 freebies in the final minute. They prevailed 73-66. Five Falcons made double figures led by Ender (18 pts, 8-11 FGs, 14 rebs, 3 blks) plus Matt Busch (14 pts, 3-4 threes), Wilson Rosenberg (14 pts, 6-6 FGs, 6 rebs, 4 asts), Sam Passe (13 pts, 3-7 threes), and Kevin Williams III (10 pts). W-K shot a blistering 25 of 44 (57%) for the game including 8 of 16 (50%) from deep. Danielson had a career-effort to lead the Burros (31 pts, 12-22 FGs, 5-11 threes, 4 stls). He had 12 in the first half, 19 in the second half. Taylor (15 pts, 6-24 FGs, 11 rebs, 4 asts, 2 blks) was the only other Burro with more than eight. Lanesboro shot 42% (26 of 62) from the field and a respectable 7 of 19 (37%) from deep. But mostly due to trailing late, they were minus-eight at the free throw line, W-K going 15 of 24 (63%) to Lanesboro’s 7 of 11 (64%). The Burros’ best season, plus first SEC-division title, in over a decade, ends at 21-7. Mason Gilbertson, Boone Moen, Levi Rogers, and Jarek Schultz are the team’s four seniors. 

Boys Basketball: Hayfield Shoots M-C’s Season to an End

In a 1A quarterfinal at Mayo Civic Auditorium, Hayfield’s Charlie Walker hit the Vikings eleventh three of the game, already, just 5:23 into the second half. Said shot gave 4-seeded Hayfield (18-9) a 55-28 lead over the 5-seeded Mabel-Canton (19-8). For the game, Walker and junior teammate Rylan Nelson combined to hit 10 threes. Nelson bludgeoned M-C in the first half, hitting 5 of 6 deep shots and scoring 19 points. Hayfield used an 8-for-8 shooting spree late in the first half to turn a 16-10 lead into a 38-19 edge. All told, Hayfield began the game hitting 23 of their first 39 shots, including 11 of 18 threes, to build a 57-28 second half lead. The Cougars, playing in Rochester for the first time since 2013-2014, fell hard by the final of 79-51. Nelson, a 6’1” junior, led all scorers with 28 points (6-8 threes, 11-17 FGs, 5 rebs, 4 asts). Walker (19 pts, 5-10 threes, 9 rebs) and Austin Dahle (14 pts, 7-11 FGs, 14 rebs) also hit double figures. Point guard Drew Slaathaug dished out 10 assists with 5 points and 4 boards. M-C was led by Brevyn Tollefsrud’s 15 points (5-9 FGs, 5-5 FTs) off the bench. Isaac Underbakke (12 pts) also reached double figures. Kale Eiken added 9 points all in the second half. Hayfield shot 51% for the game (32 of 63) to M-C’s 32% (20 of 62), making 13 of 28 threes (46%) to M-C’s 3 of 17 (18%). It was a tough end for Russell Larson’s group, as they see their most winningest season (19-9) since 1976-1977 (19-3) come to end. The same general group of guys also led M-C to state in football back in the fall for the first time since 1981. Regulars Underbakke, Kale Tollefsrud, Cael Wangsness, and Darian Hershberger plus Milton Hutchinson and Lekota Gerleman are the team’s six seniors. 

Boys Basketball: Turnovers Doom GM in 1A Quarterfinals 

For the first nine minutes of the game, 6-seed Grand Meadow (18-9) hung with 3-seed Lewiston-Altura (19-8). Chad Burmester’s Larks got off to a 13-4 start and later led 15-8. But then L-A started pressing and the wheels came off. After starting the game with 10 possessions without a turnover, GM gave it away 17 of their final 25 possessions of the first half. L-A subsequently scored 32 of the final 41 points of the half to lead 40-24 at intermission. The Cardinals’ lead was then at least 13 all second half, as they coasted to an 85-53 win. Seth Lubinski, a 6’1” junior guard, came off the bench to score a game-high 29 points (11-15 FGs, 6-8 threes). Tyson Prigge (12 pts, 6-8 FGs, 11 rebs, 4 asts) and Gavin Bambenek (12 pts) also reached double-figures for L-A. GM was led by Carter Glynn (15 pts, 6 asts), Cohen Craft (14 pts, 3-8 threes), and Blake Hubbard (11 pts, 5-9 FGs). The Superlarks finished with 31 turnovers while L-A had 16. The teams combined for 19 made threes, L-A going 11 of 35 (31%), GM 8 of 24 (33%). But L-A was credited with 38 points-of-turnovers (GM 8) while also piling up 26 second-chance-points (GM 10) due to a 19-5 offensive-rebound edge. GM’s strong season ends at 18-10. It was a good campaign for a group of seniors including starters Glynn and Keaton Gehling, who went 0-27 as sophomores two years ago and 2-25 as freshman three years ago. It was GM’s first trip back to the 1A quarters since the 2019-2020 team went 21-8 and made the 1A semifinals.