Girls Basketball: Vikings Stymie Larks, GM Finishes as 1A Runner-Up

In a rematch of last year’s 1A title game, won 65-41 by Hayfield, the defending champion #4 in Class A Vikings (1-seed, 27-4) came out quick on #7 in Grand Meadow (2-seed, 27-2). They controlled things throughout to repeat as Section champions. Hayfield hit six of its first eight field goals to build an early 14-6 lead. The Vikings then closed the first half with a 12-2 run, heading into halftime up 34-16. Short of pulling to down 14-10, the Superlarks swam uphill hard and never really got back into against a faster/quicker Viking squad. GM senior Kendyl Queensland was able to limit Hayfield leading scorer Kristen Watson, but other Hayfield players stepped up. Natalie Beaver (12 pts), the Vikings second leading scorer, Chelsea Christopherson (8 pts), and Jojo Tempel (8 pts) all had eight or more in the first half to give Hayfield balance. The Vikings defense made it tough on GM, limiting drives for the most part and making GM shoot over-the-top. The Larks were 2 of 10 from distance in the stanza. Sophomore Lauren Queensland had 14 of GM’s 16 first half points. All other Larks were 1 of 12 shooting in the first half. Hayfield played ball-control after halftime, quickening the game. GM never got the lead to single-digits. They could not apply enough ball pressure to force turnovers and put some pressure on Hayfield. The Vikings won their second straight 1A title by a final of 51-32. Beaver (17 pts, 7-10 FGs), Christopherson (10 pts, 8 rebs), Tempel (8 pts), and Watson (8 pts) did work for the Vikings. L-Queensland (20 pts, 8-14 FGs) was the only Lark with more than four points. GM had nine turnovers to Hayfield’s one in the pivotal first half. The Vikings shot 15 of 30 (50%) in that stanza to GM’s 7 of 22 (32%). For the game, GM was 13 of 33 (37%) shooting to Hayfield’s 22 of 42 (52%). GM had 16 turnovers to Hayfield’s four also. Key GM player Lexy Foster, their top scorer and rebounder, nursed an injured back in the game and was not her normal self (4 pts, 2-4 FGs). The Larks’ excellent season, an SEC-West title and second straight 1A final appearance, concludes at 27-3. Coach Ryan Queensland sees four seniors take the court for a last time, his middle daughter K-Queensland plus starters Sydney Cotten and Rebecca Hoffman, reserve Alexis Westrum.