Trojans Fight Past Knights, Shoot Down Rebels, Make 1A Title Game
Rushford-Peterson boys basketball’s last trip to the 1A finals was 2017-2018. For Trojans fans, ones used to state trip after state trip in the early 2010s, that probably seems like an eternity. The 2017-2018 team was their last to make the big dance. R-P has lost three 1A semifinals contests since. But not this year. Chris Drinkall’s group toughed their way past a rugged Kingsland team in the quarters than authored a lights-out second half shooting display against undefeated Southland in the semis to make the 1A title game.
Versus the Knights (6-seed, 16-10), it was a game of rugged, athletic, and older football players playing talented young basketball players. And for a while, Kingsland had Rushford-Peterson (3-seed, 22-4) in a hole. The usually offensively potent Trojans trailed 25-15 later in the first half, scoring well down from they are used to. But after starting the game 3 of 16 from the field, R-P found its groove, hitting 7 of their last 11 shots to end the stanza. It took a steal and score in the final seconds by Knight Kaaleem Reiland to send the game to half tied 31-31. R-P’s offense was again groovy later in the second half, and that effectiveness caused the game’s critical run. Chris Drinkall’s Trojan hit 8 of 9 shots. The first four makes came from reserves Landon Dahl, Jaxson Meldahl, and Zach Baker, showing the Trojans’ depth. R-P went on a 15-5 run to expand a 49-43 lead to 64-48. The Trojans prevailed by 70-54 final. Sophomore Cayden Lea (19 pts, 6 rebs) hit five of 10 threes to lead the Trojans. Carson Johnson (12 pts, 8 rebs, 3 asts, 3 stls), and Will LaFleur (10 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts) also hit double figures. Dahl (8 pts), Meldahl (7 pts), and Baker (4 pts) gave the Trojans 19 bench points. Kingsland had zero. Max Erdman, a 6’5” senior center, led the Knights with 18 (pts) and 13 (rebs). K-Reiland went for 13 (pts) and 6 (rebs) all in the first half. Parker Johnson (8 pts, 7 rebs) and Zach Reiland (8 pts, 4 stls) helped. Each team had foul trouble, particularly the physical Knights. R-P had 17 second-chance-points while Kingsland had 9. The Trojans also went 10 of 32 from deep (31%), Kingsland 4 of 17 (24%). The Knights finish the season a solid 16-11. Erdman, Johnson, Z-Reiland, Gavin Hubka, Ira Schmidt, Caden Reiter and Seth Howard are their seven-man senior class and all contributed. They have been key assets to Knight boys’ teams that have gone a combined 39-17 the last two years.
The Trojans (3-seed, 23-4) moved on to face #8 in A Southand (2-seed, 28-0), the unblemished SEC-West champions. Despite being undefeated, most of their wins came against the SEC, which had just three other teams finish with winning records. Their closest league game was versus Kingsland (65-58). Their non-conference schedule did not include a win versus a Minnesota team above five-hundred either. The Rebels’ only super-close test was a 53-52 win over Osage, Iowa. Oddly at game 29 in their season, a matchup with R-P was (maybe) their first marquee battle of the season. For a half, they passed the test. The Trojans jumped out 9-4 only to see Southland settle in and score 18 of the next 23 points. Their lead was as large as eight (22-14) late in the half. At intermission, the Rebels led 25-20. At that point the Trojans, a typically good shooting team, were 7 of 26 from the field (27%). That number picked up dramatically in the second half. R-P made 10 more shots on one less attempt! The Johnson brothers, Carson and Caden, assisted and scored three early baskets for R-P to start the second stanza. Team green went 10-1 out of the gate to lead 30-26. The teams then went back-and-forth, with Southland’s Goergen brothers, sophomore Tate and senior Noah doing work. They combined for 25 second points for the Rebels, Tate slashing to the hoop, Noah hitting a trio of threes. One T-Goergen score tied the game 47-47 with 7:13 left. But R-P scored 11 of the next 13 points including an 8-0 run. They got threes from LaFleur, Lea, and Meldahl in the spurt, the latter making it 58-49 with 4:46 left. Meldahl, a reserve junior guard, had a big second half. He hit 4 of 4 free throws thereafter. His 13-point game off the bench, 11 in the second half, was clutch. But classmate LaFleur had the most clutch shot. With R-P leading 65-61 and plenty of time on the shot clock, the junior was left alone and he drilled a wing three. It put R-P ahead 68-61 with 1:03 left. Southland then got a deep Noah G. three (0:23.8), but Meldahl answered by hitting his second set of free throws (0:17.1). Handing the Rebels their only defeat of the year, R-P prevailed 67-61 to move on to the 1A finals. Lea, R-P’s ahead-of-his-years’ sophomore point guard, led the way (23 pts, 5-10 threes, 5 rebs). Meldahl (13 pts, 4-4 FTs) and LaFleur (10 pts, 5 rebs, 6 stls) also made double figures. But eight of nine Trojans to play, scored. Carson J. added 7 (pts), 4 (rebs), and 9 (asts) as R-P’s passing-forward. T-Goergen (18 pts, 7 rebs), N-Goergen (18 pts, 4-7 threes), and Henry Wiste (16 pts, 11 rebs) made double figures for the Rebels, who basically played just five guys. After their 7 of 26 shooting in the first half, R-P was 17 of 25 in the second half (68%) including 7 of 13 from deep (54%). Each team finished with 24 made field goals, but R-P hit 11 of 27 threes (41%), Southland 6 of 16 (38%). And the Trojans had 12 turnovers to the Rebels’ 18. Chris Drinkall’s group (3-seed, 24-4) moves on to face Goodhue (1-seed, 21-8) for the 1A title.
#3 Warriors Blast to 1AA Finals
It is now or never for Caledonia’s senior class. A highly-hyped crew that has been starting and playing since their sophomore years, Brad King’s Warriors’ ultimate goal is state. After two convincing section wins, they are one win away from getting there.
In a 1A quarterfinal game, the third time was not the charm for La Crescent/Hokah (9-seed, 13-14) as they took on #3 in AA Warriors (1-seed, 25-2). Caledonia easily took down the Lancers again. Despite not having starting center Ethan Stendel (due to an injury), fellow seniors Mason King and Garrett Konz led the Warrior charge in an 89-47 victory. Caledonia jumped out 14-2. Konz, a broad 6’4” senior forward, scored 10 of the Warriors first 14 points. King scored 19 in the first half. The Warriors hit 11 of 15 free throws and 6 of 12 threes in the first stanza helping push the lead to a 55-29 at the half. Konz (23 pts, 8 rebs, 4 stls) and King (20 pts, 6 asts) each topped 20 points. Grant King (13 pts) also hit double figures. Reid Klug (9 pts), Ben Stemper (8 pts) and Coby Hammell (7 pts, 8 rebs) helped. The Warriors shot 33 of 65 for the game (51%) and the defense forced 23 Lancer turnovers including 18 in the first half. Caledonia had just eight total.
It put #3 Caledonia (1-seed, 26-2) back in the section semifinals, this time versus Zumbrota-Mazeppa (5-seed, 18-10). The Cougars pulled the small upset in taking down Pine Island (4-seed) in the quarterfinals. A year ago, in the same spot, Caledonia fell on a last second shot versus Cannon Falls. There were no last second shots this time. A focused Warrior group never trailed. Their defense forced 16 first half Cougar turnovers. There were also three massive Warrior blocked shots, and a couple steals that led to early Ethan Stendel and Reid Klug dunks. There was some bad. Seniors, M-King, Stendel, and Konz all accumulated three first half fouls. Each team was in the double bonus to end the stanza. But Z-M only scored at the line late in the half. Ethan Miller, the Cougars’ 6’8” sweet-shooting big man, hit a three with 10:56 on the first half clock. It was Z-M’s last made field goal of the stanza. They did not make a two-basket in the half, with Miller making three threes, the team five. Caledonia got 11 points and eight rebounds from 6’6” senior forward Reid Klug. They hit 8 of 12 free throws in the stanza. Reserve senior guard Ben Stemper put in a couple of threes. Caledonia went to half up 33-18. The lead grew to 20 (38-18) early in the second half with Z-M replying to get back within 10 (40-30). But the Warriors had two much defense. They forced 28 total turnovers including swiping 23 steals. They had two much offense. As if often the case, four Warriors made double figures. Caledonia cruised to the section final courtesy of a 71-48 win. Klug (20 pts, 13 rebs, 6 stls), M-King (18 pts, 3-7 threes, 5 stls), G-King (13 pts, 4 stls), and Konz (10 pts, 5 rebs) did the biggest scoring work. E-Miller (15 pts, 5-9- threes, 18 rebs) led Z-M. He was the only Cougar in double figures. Bakster Arendt added 9 points (7-14 FTs). Winners of 16-straight, the last 11 by at least 17 points, the Warriors (27-2) move to face Lake City (3-seed, 19-9) for the 1AA title. The Tigers came back from down 18 in the second half to top Cannon Falls (2-seed, 22-7) 81-77 in the other semifinal.
Falcons Overmatched by Southland in Quarterfinals
Southland (2-seed, 27-0) passed and passed, and gave up good shots for better shots, and then hit a lot of those shots (particularly early in the game) in handily taking down Fillmore Central (7-seed, 12-15) in a 1A quarterfinals. A year ago in the same spot, also 7-seeded FC sprung the trap and dumped 2-seed Spring Grove 56-55 on Kyle Daniels’ late layup. History did not repeat itself. Undefeated #8 in A Southland hit eight threes in building a 29-6 lead. Their first nine field goal attempts were all from distance. FC did not get its first field goal until the 11:36 mark. After the Rebels’ big start, Southland only out-scored FC 34-30, but the Adams-based crew controlled the game from start to finish in posting a 63-36 win. The Rebel starting five all did big work; Noah Goergen (17 pts, 4-9 threes, 6 rebs), Cole Miller (13 pts, 3-10 threes, 7 rebs), Henry Wiste (10 pts, 11 rebs, 5 stls), Tate Goergen (10 pts, 6 rebs, 6 asts), and Maverick Hanna (8 pts, 7 rebs). FC was led by Greg Kennedy (14 pts, 8 rebs). He was the only Falcon in double figures. Southland finished the game hitting 11 of 32 threes (34%) while FC was 4 of 26 (15%). The Rebels out-rebounded FC 44 to 31 for the game including 27 to 10 in the first half. They had 16 offensive rebounds for 13 second-chance-points. FC’s season ends at 12-16. They had a nice 8-2 run mid-season, but started the year 2-8 and finished it 2-6. Seniors include key players Kennedy, Anthony Kiehne, Josh Haugerud, Tyler Gulbranson and Atlee Hershberger plus Owen Schoepski, Maddex Rindels, Dillon Winslow and Carter O’Connor.
Hurricanes’ Season Ends Versus BP in 1A Quarterfinals
In a 1A quarterfinal contest at Mayo Civic Auditorium, Blooming Prairie (4-seed, 20-6) jumped on Houston (5-seed, 19-8) big early and the Hurricanes never recovered. Led by the early exploits of sophomore Gabe Staloch, who scored 17 in the first half, BP jumped out 10-0 and 19-2. Jake Merchlewitz’s group did not get its first field goal until the 10:25 mark, missing their first 10 shots, and went to intermission down 35-19. BP’s lead never dipped into the single digits as they posted a 56-45 victory. The Blossoms were led by Staloch (23 pts, 5-12 threes, 14 rebs) and Brady Kittleson (13 pts, 4 rebs, 4 stls). Center Coope Cooke added 6 (pts) and 18 (rebs), Bradley Boyd 8 (pts) and 7 (rebs). Houston was led by its 1,000-point senior duo of Morgan Rohweder (17 pts, 9 rebs) and Carter Geiwitz (13 pts, 13 rebs, 4 blks). They scored 30 of Houston’s 45 points with Geiwitz scoring eight of his late when the verdict was essentially sealed. Houston finished 26 of 62 from the field (30%). BP was not too much better and 21 of 62 (34%). But the Blossoms won on the glass 51 to 33 including 16 to 9 offensively, helping to generate nine second-chance-points to the ‘Canes’ 2. Houston’s season concludes at 19-9. It was their first trip to Rochester and the section quarterfinals since 2015-2016. The senior group of Rohweder, Geiwitz, Maddox Rodriguez, Zach Olson, Alex Wedl, Casey Herek, Dawson Pedretti and Owen Sobotta did get Houston its first league title in decades.
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