There were 11 lead changes in a state-ranked girls basketball matchup before No. 2 Hayfield held off visiting No. 18 Spring Grove, 60-52. The Dec. 28 bout was the closest anyone has come thus far against the undefeated Vikings (11-0), who have won the last two section championships.
File photo by Lee Epps
Spring Grove (8-2) led 45-44 before Hayfield sealed the victory with a late 11-point run. Then the Vikings did not score a field goal in the final 6:48 but they did net 4 of 6 late free throws. The Lions cut the 10-point deficit down to six before two turnovers and missing their final five shots.
The Lions had answered an earlier Hayfield scoring spurt. Grove led 22-21 before eight Lion turnovers in 10 possessions led to a 12-to-2 Viking run and a 33-24 halftime lead for the home team. The Grove girls replied with a 17-to-2 run early in the second half. There were six lead changes before the Vikings’ crucial 11-point run.
For Spring Grove, Kyle Hammel scored 14 points, Siri Konkel 13, Emerson Ingvalson 8 and Carlie Halverson 6. Konkel supplied 9 assists. Natale Beaver led Hayfield with 22 points.
Despite having seven shots blocked, the Lions continued to shoot well, 41% to the Vikings’ 38%. Again, Grove did not rely on treys but again had good success from downtown (5 for 13, 38%). Both squads had 20 baskets, but the Vikings had three more 3-balls. Impatient Hayfield launched more shots from 3-point land (30) than closer in (28) and scored 24 points both inside and beyond the 3-point arc. The taller Vikings won the rebound battle, 34-to-23 and outscored Spring Grove 6-0 with put-backs in an eight-point decision.
With both teams defending full-court at times, it was a fast-paced game with many turnovers, SG 24 and Hayfield 21. Almost a third of the total points (35 out of 112) were scored in transition. The Lions stayed with the full-court defense all game, which forced 11 Viking turnovers. But Hayfield also scored 11 lay-up points while beating the pressure.
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SG 52, Hayfield 60
SCORE by HALVES
SG 24+28=52
Hay 33+27=60
TEAM TOTALS:
all FG: SG 41% (20-49), Hay 38% (20-52)
2-pt FG: SG 42% (15-36), Hay 55% (12-22)
3-pt FG: SG 38% (5-13), Hay 27% (8-30)
Free throws: SG 54% (7-13), Hay63% (12-19)
Rebounds: SG 23, Hay 34
Turnovers: SG 24, Hay 21
2nd Chance pts: SG 5, Hay 11
Fast break pts: SG 15, Hay 20
Pts. in paint: SG 29, Hay 32
Greatest lead: SG 4, Hay 10
Fouls: SG 15, Hay 14
SG INDIVIDUALS: P-points, R rebounds, A-assists, S-steals, B-blocked shots. Listed in order of jersey number. * starter
*Siri Konkel 13P, 2R, 9A, 3S
Elle Berns did not play
Layla Kittleson 2P, 1R
Addison Halverson did not play
Jada Strinmoen did not play
Kendal VanMinsel absent
Katie Klug did not play
Brinley Middendorf 4P, 2R
Izabel Kaufmann 3P, 1R, 2S
*Carlie Halverson 6P, 3R, 1A, 3S
*Kylie Hammel 14P, 4R, 2A, 2S
Addison Kessler did not play
*Emerson Ingvalson 8P, 5R, 3A, 4S
*Kinley Soiney 2P, 5R, 1S, 1B
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Spring Grove Varsity Girls (8-2, 4-0 SEC)
W at Lanesboro 67-34
L at Waukon 63-66
W vs. Kingsland 52-44
W vs. Postville 63-18
W at Schaeffer Academy 42-38
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 70-51
W vs. Wabasha-Kellogg 63-43
W at St. Charles 63-27
W vs. Kenyon-Wanamingo 60-40
L at Hayfield 52-60
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01/04 Lyle/Pacelli
01/08 at Southland
01/09 Grand Meadow
01/15 Houston
01/18 Lanesboro
01/22 at Kingsland
01/25 at Turkey Valley
01/26 Schaeffer Academy 6 pm
01/30 Fillmore Central
02/01 at LeRoy-Ostrander
02/02 Lansing Kee High
02/06 at Lyle/Pacelli (at Lyle)
02/08 Southland
02/09 at Grand Meadow
02/10 at Rushford-Peterson
02/16 at Houston
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B-team Lions (4-1)
W at Lanesboro 42-14
L at Waukon 23-37
W vs. Kingsland 36-22
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 40-9
W at St. Charles 39-32
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8th Grade Girls (3-2)
L at Lanesboro 18-41
W vs. Kee 35-32
W vs. Kingsland 32-14
W vs. LeRoy-Ostrander 34-28
L at Caledonia
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7th Grade Girls (2-1)
W at Lanesboro 21-20 OT
W vs. Kee 30-14
L at Caledonia