Girls Basketball: Warriors Fall in 1AA Semis
Caledonia girls’ basketball (3-seed, 21-6) began the play-offs hoping to reach another 1AA title game. But an injury and a tough section doomed said efforts. The Warriors easily handled Cotter/Hope Lutheran (5-seed, 16-10) in the 1AA quarters, 70-51. It was Cal’s third win over the Ramblers this year. The Warriors led from start to finish but lost 2,000-point scorer Aubrie Klug in the first half to a knee injury. Kensey King (23 pts, 11-15 FGs, 6 rebs) led way offensively. Klug (14 pts, 5 stls), Jessica Stendel (10 pts, 5-8 FGs, 13 rebs) and Nicole Banse (10 pts, 7 rebs, 9 asts) also made double figures. Ashlyn Reinhart (6 pts, 5 rebs, 6 asts) and Peyten Felten (5 pts, 7 rebs) helped. Camrie Macal (16 pts, 10 rebs, 3 stls, 3 blks) led the Ramblers. In the 1AA semis, the Warriors (4-seed, 22-6) played 1-seed and #3 in Class AA Red Wing (24-4). The Wingers won in the regular season 57-55. In the rematch, Klug steadfastly played but was slowed. The Warriors beat the Wingers up on the board 45 to 21. Klug drilled eight of 18 threes for a game-high 24 points. But she was just a shooter, far less mobile, did not handle the ball much, and attempted one two-point field and zero free throws. The Warriors committed 20 turnovers, Red Wing four (zero in the second half). Caledonia’s last points were a Jessica Stendel bucket (6:53) to make it 49-48 Red Wing. From there, they then went 0-for-5 from the field with seven turnovers. The Wingers scored the final nine points to post a 58-48 victory. Izzy Guetzlaff (17 pts), Finley Kamps (14 pts), and Hallie Johnson (13 pts) made double figures. Alexa Guetzlaff added 8 (pts), 5 (asts), and 5 (stls). Klug was the only Warrior in double figures. King (8 pts, 17 rebs) and Banse (8 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts) helped. The Warriors were 1 of 3 from the line, RW 8 of 11. Caledonia finishes another fine season at 21-7, graduating senior starters Klug, Banse, King and Felten.
Girls Basketball Playoffs (2/23 – 2/28)
(1AA Quarterfinal) 9-seed Rushford-Peterson (18-8) 30, 1-seed #3 in AA Red Wing (23-4) 65 (RP: Nadia Happel 7 pts; Kaia Loney 7 pts, 9 rebs. RW: Finley Kamps 19 pts (7-7 FGs, 3-3 threes). R-P shot 24% (10 of 42), scored a season-low.)
(1A Quarterfinal) 8-seed Houston (11-15) 39, 1-seed #5 in A New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva (24-3) 76 (H: Jorja Meyer 17 pts (7-11 FGs), 13 rebs; Rylee Boldt 11 pts (7-11 FTs), 7 rebs. NRHEG: Camryn VanMaldeghem 18 pts, 14 rebs; Gabby Schlaak 18 pts, 8 rebs. Houston was within seven (35-28) well into the second half, but NRHEG scored on 19 of its last 23 possessions (16 of 23 FGs) to close the game out on a 41-11 run. Houston’s season ends at 11-16.)
(1A Quarterfinal) 5-seed Spring Grove/Mabel-Canton (16-8) 60, 4-seed Lewiston-Altura (18-9) 79 (SG/M-C: Kinley Soiney 17 pts, 10 rebs, 7 stls; Siri Konkel 15 pts, 5 rebs, 5 asts; Kylie Hammel 10 pts, 9 rebs. The Cardinals led by 19 early, by 19 at halftime and by 19 at the end with the most points scored by a Lion opponent in six years. L-A shot 55% from the field, SG/MC 31%. L-A shot 39% with threes, SG/MC only 19%. The Lions closed at 16-9.)
(1A Quarterfinal) 7-seed Lanesboro (17-10) 59, 2-seed Hayfield/Schaeffer Academy (20-7) 74 (L: J. Storhoff 29 pts, 7 rebs; Emma Ruen 13 pts; Elianna Cassmann 8 pts. H/SA: Lily Morrisey 26 pts, 12 rebs 5 blks; Maggie Hansen 18 pts, 6 rebs. Lanesboro led 26-16 in the first half, but the got outscored 37-11 to trail 53-37. FTs: H/SA 18 of 23 (78%), L 12 of 20 (60%).)
(1A Quarterfinal) 6-seed Fillmore Central (14-12) 65, 3-seed Southland (22-4) 73 (FC: H. Vaalemoen 21 pts (5-7 FTs), 4 asts; Madi Zwart 16 pts, 10 rebs, 4 blks; Kyla Hellickson 15 pts, 10 rebs, 4 asts. S: Breeley Galle 27 pts (22 in the second half); Brynlee Koenigs 20 pts, 11 rebs. FC jumped out 27-7, as Southland started the game 3 of 27 from the field. But they ended the half making five straight shots, four from deep, to close to down 31-23. Southland then started the second half 13-4 to lead 36-35, an effective 29-8 run. The Rebels later led 64-51. After the bad start, Southland shot 23 of 41 (56%). They were plus-21 from deep, hitting 8 of 26 threes (31%) to FC’s 1 of 8 (13%). FC finishes the year 14-13.)
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