Vince Lombardi once famously asked, “what the hell is going on out here?” In section 1A boys’ basketball, it’s a good question. As of January 5, 1A’s top three perennial powers, the schools that have represented the section in each of its last four title games, R-P, Goodhue, and SG, all were ranked outside the QRF’s top four. The section’s top four QRF-teams were Wabasha-Kellogg, LeRoy-Ostrander, Randolph, and Bethlehem Academy. Each finished outside the top four last year. One can’t quite really figure out the section, the QRF, particularly now that 1A is devoid of sub-sections (post-season play will be seeded 1-20). One thing is certain, Fillmore County’s top two 1A boys teams each went 2-0 on the week and each figure to be tough outs come play-off time.
Knight Boys Run Streak to Five
John Fenske’s Kingsland Knights are ranked 7th in the section’s QRF. They own a decisive 73-50 victory over LeRoy-Ostrander (QRF #2) and a 56-47 win over R-P (QRF #6). Team double-K won two more on the week. Their streak is now five and they’ve won eight of nine. They boast a 7-1 section record, the most wins of any 1A team. The Knights beat L-A 52-48. Wyatt Pruter’s long-distance marksmanship was a key (17 pts, 4-11 threes, 3 stls). Ethan Fenske (9 pts 4-5 FGs), Zach Bubany (8 pts, 6 assists), and Jordan Beck (6 pts, 11 rebs) helped out. Kingsland then beat Southland for a second time this year, 60-42, doing so at Target Center. Kingsland outscored the Rebels 30-13 in the second half. Beck (14 pts, 7-13 FGs, 11 rebs), Ian Meisner (12 pts, 6-7 FGs, 8 rebs), and Pruter (11 pts) gave the Knights three in double figures. Pruter has now hit double-digits in all nine TRC games. Bubany added a very well-rounded game (6 pts, 9 rebs, 9 assists, 4 stls). Seven of eight Knights to play scored at least five points. Kingsland (5-4, 10-4) is the first team in section 1A to ten wins.
Trojan Boys Run Streak to Four
R-P boys basketball has been an entrant in seven of the last eight 1A title games. Tom Vix’s Trojans, after a 3-3 start, including rare losses to La Crescent and Kingsland, are hitting their stride a bit, particularly defensively. The sections 6th-ranked QRF squad beat a couple section foes on the road, allowing a total of 58 points. Hayfield fell 58-31. Ben Ansell (15 pts, 7-9 FGs), Payton Hahn (12 pts, 5 stls), Luke O’Hare (11 pts, 5-6 FGs, 5 rebs), and Jake Paulson (7 pts, 4 rebs, 5 assist, 4 stls) did work. R-P then posted its best win of the season, beating the section’s top QRF team, W-K, 40-27. The Falcons (6-3) had just eight first half points and were held to a season low. They came in averaging 62 PPG. O’Hare (10 pts, 4-6 FGs) and Ansell (10 pts, 5-9 FGs, 5 rebs) hit double-figures. Paulson did everything but score (2 pts, 0-2 FGs, 10 rebs, 5 assists, 3 stls). Hahn and Landon Skalet each added 7 points. O’Hare, younger brother of Austin O’Hare (a three-year Trojan starter), had 21 points on the week. He scored 22 over R-P’s first eight games. The Trojans (2-3, 7-3) have held foes to 33.8 PPG in their four-game win streak.