This season marked the second year of Section 1A girls basketball going without sub-sections. A main reason why such a change was orchestrated again proved clear. Old West sub-section teams dominated. The Section Final Four was all “West” teams; GM, L/P, Hayfield, and Goodhue. The two Journal covered teams to make the quarters, Kingsland and Houston, each fell, going two play-off games and done. Steve Hauser’s Knights (6-seed, 16-9) beat Hayfield (3-seed, 18-8), for a half. Kingsland led by as many as nine in the first stanza and 36-31 at intermission. Lauren and Ellie Buchholtz were doing work (13 and 15 points respectively). But the Vikings held team double-K offensively in check in the second 18 minutes. After 12 combined first half field goals, the Buchholtz’s had just two in the second. After 16 made team field goals in the first half, Kingsland had just three in the second. The Knights got outscored 27-13 and fell 58-49. Lauren B. (18 pts, 6 rebs, 4 asts) and Ellie B. (17 pts, 6 rebs, 5 asts) led the way. Abby Stasko (24 pts), Emma Holtz (16 pts, four threes), and Elecia Brown (11 pts) led the Vikings. The Knights finish a good season at 16-10. Following an 8-7 start, they went 8-3 their last 11 games. Team double-K graduates four seniors in Lauren B., Megan Schultz, Nora Jahn, and Victoria Hershberger. Buchholtz ends a splendid five-year career as the school’s all-time leading scorer (both sexes). The 5’8” senior G/F averaged a double-double (17.8 pts, 10.4 rebs). The Knights have some good youth though, including seven non junior/seniors who played versus Hayfield (plus an eighth who missed most of the year per injury).
Houston (7-seed, 16-10) fulfilled the goal they couldn’t last year. The ‘Canes made Rochester and the Civic Center. But Class A #4 Goodhue (2-seed, 21-6) awaited. The Wildcats controlled Dale Moga’s Hurricanes from the start in posting a 68-37 win. It wasn’t the first time a Journal covered team got play-off whacked by Goodhue. The Wildcats beat M-C last year (67-26), FC in 2016-2017 (65-42), R-P in 2015-2016 (85-52), and in 2013-2014 (75-38), the later three all Section Title games. Alyssa Rostad was the only ‘Cane to make double-figures (16 pts, 4-4 FTs, 6 rebs). Emma Geiwitz added 9 (pts) and 4 (stls). The duo combined to take 33 shots. Rostad ran her streak of multiple made trifectas to 13 games (41 of 81 over that span, 51%). Goodhue was led by 6’3” senior center Lexie Lodermeier (25 pts, 8 rebs). Joslyn Carlson added 15 (pts) and 7 (rebs). Houston finishes at 16-11. Hurricane girls’ basketball seems poised to be good for a number years. A-Rostad is the only senior. She finishes a splendid five-year career as the school’s all-time leading scorer (both sexes). The Wildcats went on to beat Hayfield 38-29 in one semifinal. Lyle/Pacelli ended #3 GM’s spectacular season 54-52 in the other semifinal. The Larks lost just two games (25-2), both L/P. Goodhue and L/P hook up again for the Section title. L/P is the defending state champ. Goodhue claimed the previous two state titles. Three Rivers teams Cotter (4-seed, 23-4) and Caledonia (2-seed, 23-4), who split their season series, hook up for the 1AA title.