Photo by Ron Mayer
Grove Girls Extend Winning Streak to Six
The Spring Grove girls improved to 11-3 while extending their winning streak to six. Four of those wins involved overcoming second-half deficits, including two of the three games the week of Monday, January 13. The Lions dominated their only conference game at Lyle/Pacelli (77-34). It was sandwiched between non-conference wins at Harmony over section rival Fillmore Central (63-48) and at home versus Class AA La Crescent-Hokah (40-39). The final 15-point margin over the Falcons came after FC led by seven points before being outscored by the Lions, 27-5, during the final 10 minutes. SG won both due to their suddenly-improved ball-handling and their turnover-forcing defense. While falling behind, Grove committed six turnovers during their first 15 possessions of the second half. But during their game-changing run, the Lions went 12 straight possessions without a turnover and committed only two turnovers on their final 18 possessions. Meanwhile, the Falcons, who had no turnovers during their first 17 possessions of the second half, then lost possession eight times their final 17 possessions, hitting only one of their final 13 shots. For SG, Siri Konkel scored a career-high 25 points (8-12 FGs, 4-6 threes, 5-6 FTs). Kinley Soiney scored 20 points (4-10 threes, 7 rebounds). Kylie Hammel collected a career-high 13 rebounds and Brinley Middendorf nine boards (each had two points). For FC, Annika Mensink scored 13 points (5-7 FGs, 3-5 threes) and Kyla Hellickson 11. Sophia Bronner (4 pts) garnered a game-most 14 rebounds. SG made 14 of 16 free throws (88%), FC 11 of 23 (48%). In the one-point win over the Lancers, Emerson Ingvalson hit the winning shot with 11 seconds to play. With three seconds, Hammel tipped the ball away from a LC/H receiver to deny a last-second shot. Despite a season-most 25 turnovers and a season-worst 26% shooting, SG hit just enough shots to go from down 27-19, to leading 36-31. But the Lancers promptly scored on three fast breaks while regaining the lead at 37-36 and again at 39-38 with 1:43 to play. Then Ingvalson netted the winner – a contested eight-foot, dribble jump shot. Grove survived with 24 steals (among 32 Lancer turnovers) and their few 3-pointers. LC/H missed all 13 trey attempts. SG missed its first 13, then hit three of four triples during the comeback. Hammel, despite missing minutes in foul trouble, scored a game-high 16 points. Izabel Kaufmann had 7 rebounds. In between those nail-biters, the Lions hit a season-high 45% with three-pointers during the 43-point win over L/P. Hammel supplied 23 points, eight boards, four steals. Soiney added 19 points, five assists, four steals. Kaufmann helped with 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The Lions (5-1, 11-3) lead the SEC over nearest foe Grand Meadow (7-2, 11-2).
Larks’ Week Includes Wins Over Southland, FC
Grand Meadow continued their mastery of all foes not named Spring Grove with a 3-0 week. In a matchup of second place two-loss SEC teams, GM (5-2, 8-2) led Southland (6-2, 10-4) by a 26-20 score at the half, then won the second stanza 32-16 for a 58-36 win. The Larks were 53% from the field (25 of 47), Southland 26% (13 of 51). Gracie Foster (18 pts, 4-6 threes, 7-13 FGs, 6 rebs, 5 asts, 4 stls) led the way. Lauren Queensland added 17 (pts) and 6 (rebs). Naomi Warmka (10 pts, 5-7 FGs, 5 rebs) and Aspen Kolling (7 pts, 9 rebs) helped. Breeley Galle (12 pts) led the Rebels. GM won the first meeting 45-41. The Larks then beat LeRoy-Ostrander 66-35. Queensland scored 22 points (5-5 FTs, 9 rebs). Warmka (11 pts, 5-6 FGs, 9 rebs), Kolling (11 pts, 7 rebs), Foster (10 pts, 7 rebs, 4 asts), and Rylee Schaufler (8 pts, 5 rebs, 4 asts) also did work. Benita Nolt (22 pts, 7-11 FGs, 6-11 FTs, 7 rebs) led the Cardinals. It was GM’s 10th win (10-2). L-O fell to 0-9 in the SEC, 0-14 overall. At Fillmore Central, the Falcons honored their 2020 state team, which beat GM 43-41 in the 1A semis. Team Super did not rehash that history though. GM led 31-20 early in the second half only for FC to make five straight shots to tie the game 31-31. But the Falcons then went 2 of 13 the rest of the half (eight turnovers). GM got three Queensland free throws and a Foster three back-to-back to make the lead 40-33. Despite making just two of its final 12 shots, GM prevailed 44-37. Queensland had 15 (pts) and 15 (rebs) to lead the way. Kolling (10 pts, 4 stls), Foster (8 pts, 10 rebs, 8 asts), and Schaufler (8 pts) helped. Warmka added 3 (pts), 9 (rebs), and 4 (asts). Kyla Hellickson (14 pts) and Sophia Bronner (12 pts, 6-8 FGs, 11 rebs) led FC. The Falcons went 1 of 20 (5%) from deep, GM 6 of 22 (27%). Ryan Queensland’s group (7-2, 11-2) is now solely behind SG (5-1, 11-3) in the SEC. Southland (7-3, 11-5), Houston (6-3, 11-5), and Lanesboro (4-3, 7-7) follow. FC is 8-9 overall.
Three Rivers Conference Girls Basketball (1/16)
Dover-Eyota 45, Rushford-Peterson 37 (R-P: Nadia Happel 13 pts; Torryn Schneider 7 pts, 4 asts; Neveah Happel 7 pts, 6 rebs. D-E: Miranda Palmby 18 pts, 13 rebs. The TRC West-leading Eagles (6-1, 9-5) held R-P (7-2, 9-4) to its second lowest scoring out-put of the season. The Eagles won at the line 15 of 22 (68%) to 5 of 5 (100%). Trojans > 7-3, 9-5)
Lewiston-Altura 45, #6 in AA Caledonia 75 (C: A. Klug 37 pts (eight threes); Josie Foster 13 pts. The Warriors led 55-22 at halftime. Klug’s 37 points are the most by any Journal-covered player this year. Cal scored 70-plus a fifth straight game)
PEM 58, Fillmore Central 42 (FC: Aubrey Daniels 7 pts, 5 asts; Haley O’Connor 6 pts, 6 rebs; Brooklyn Simon 6 pts, 5 rebs; Hannah Vaalemoen/Cora Britton 6 pts. FC led 42-38 with 6:40 left, before PEM ended the game on a 20-0 run)
Southeast Conference Girls Basketball (1/14 – 1/16)
Kingsland 48, Lyle/Pacelli 46 (K: Chantle Reiland 16 pts, 6 rebs; Lydia Redman 11 pts (3-6 threes), 6 rebs; Hailee Warren 9 pts, 6 rebs. Kingsland’s Vaira Merkel hit the game-winner with 0:12 to go. Kingsland beat the Athletics for a second time by two)
LeRoy-Ostrander 36, Houston 78 (H: A. Boldt 32 pts (12-18 FGs, 6-7 threes), 5 stls; Emily Botcher 14 pts, 5 rebs; Julia Swenson 10 pts; Jorja Meyer 8 pts, 7 rebs, 5 stls. L-O: Miranda Nagel 15 pts, 8 rebs; Mabel Johnson 12 pts; Benita Nolt 6 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts. Hurricane Avery Kingsley did not play. Houston won its 10th game (10-5))
Houston 46, Lanesboro 45 (H: A. Boldt 11 pts, 8 rebs; Olivia Yohe 9 pts (3-5 threes), 5 rebs; J. Meyer 8 pts (4-5 FTs); J. Swenson 7 pts. L: Jensyn Storhoff 17 pts, 8 rebs; Emma Root 12 pts. Down 45-43, Houston’s Yohe hit the go-ahead three with 11.7 seconds left. Lanesboro missed a game-winning bunny at the buzzer)
Southland 45, Kingsland 30 (K: H. Warren 11 pts, 10 rebs; C. Reiland 4 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts. Kingsland led 29-26 with around five minutes to go, scoring one more point, as the Rebels ended on a 19-1 run. Knights > 3-5, 4-9)
Non-Conference Girls Basketball (1/13 – 1/17)
LeRoy-Ostrander 35, Wabasha-Kellogg 44 (L-O: M. Johnson 10 pts. L-O has not topped 50 points in a game this season)
Zumbrota-Mazeppa 54, Chatfield 39 (C: G. Schroeder 16 pts, 5 rebs; Kendall Knutson 6 pts, 6 rebs, 3 stls. Chatfield trailed 25-20 at halftime. Z-M hit nine of 23 threes (39%), Chatfield 3 of 19 (16%))
Pine Island 51, Chatfield 58 (C: G. Schroeder 26 pts (4-10 threes), 4 asts, 8 stls; K. Knutson 15 pts (3-3 threes), 6 rebs; Amaya Harmening 7 pts, 6 rebs. Chatfield led 23-17 at the half. The second half had six lead changes before Chatfield took control. The Panthers had 35 turnovers. The Gophers (4-5, 7-9) ended a four-game losing streak)
Hayfield/Schaeffer Academy 24, #6 in AA Caledonia 68 (C: A. Klug 29 pts (five threes); J. Foster 16 pts; Kensey King 9 pts; Nicole Banse 7 pts. Caledonia led 42-11 at the half)
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