Photo by Paul Trende
Over a pair of nights, a trio of good AA girls basketball teams with at least 11 wins went at it, as Caledonia (11-5) hosted #2 Goodhue (13-1) and Chatfield (11-4). First, Scott Sorenson’s girls took their shot at the Wildcats. The Warriors spotted Goodhue a 16-2 lead, as Cal began the game 1 of 11 shooting with six turnovers. Ava Privet hit three first half triples, but Cal trailed 29-16 at intermission. Goodhue built a 41-24 second half lead. But the Warriors hit 7 of 12 second half three-balls. They cut the Cats lead to 50-45. But Cal scored just once in six possessions after, and Goodhue went ahead 57-48. The Wildcats held off the push for a 62-57 win. Privet (17 pts, 5-10 threes), Paige Klug (13 pts, 3-6 threes, 8 rebs, 4 asts), and Alexis Schroeder (12 pts) hit double-figures. Jovial King added 9 (pts) and 6 (rebs). Goodhue was led by Joslyn Carlson (22 pts, 9-17 FGS, 8 rebs), who had 19 in the second half, and Anika Schafer (19 pts, 6 rebs), who had 14 in the first half. Cal hit 10 of 24 threes (42%) to Goodhue 2 of 10 (20%), but the Wildcats won the free throw line 10 of 18 to 1 of 2. Three days later, Chatfield came to town for a TRC re-match. The Gophers won an earlier non-conference meeting 59-54. The script played out like Caledonia/Goodhue, only the Warriors took charge. Chatfield opened with back-to-back baskets, but then went 0 of 10 shooting with six turnovers. The Warriors boomed to a 22-7 start. They led 36-22 at half, having turned eight offensive rebounds in to 13 second-chance-points (Chatfield had four for two). Brian Baum’s group spent the second half recovering. By the 10:40 mark, they were within five (40-35), following a 13-4 run. But the Warriors pushed the lead back to 49-39. Chatfield was 0 of 5 FTs in that span. Very late, a Jaiden Zimmerman steal and jumper made it 53-50. After one made Warrior free throw, Zimmerman went reverse and the Gophers were down 54-52 with 0:15 left. Warrior Alexis Scheoder then sank two free throws, icing the game. Cal got revenge on Chat 58-52. Sadie Treptow (14 pts, 9 rebs) and King (14 pts, 8 rebs) led the way, King scoring 12 in the first half, Treptow 11 in the second. Privet (11 pts, 3-9 threes, 5 asts) scored all her points in the first. Klug chipped in 9 (pts) and 6 (rebs). Zimmerman (15 pts, 5 stls) led the Gophers. Kara Goetzinger (12 pts) and Peyton Berg (10 pts, 6 rebs) also hit double figures. Anna Kivimagi added 8 (pts), 6 (rebs), 4 (asts), and 4 (stls). Each team (Chat 10 of 21, Cal 11 of 18) left some points at the free throw line. Cal (6-2, 12-6) trails Cotter (6-1, 11-3) in TRC-East. Chatfield (4-3, 11-5) trails D-E (7-1, 15-3) and PEM (5-2, 12-2) in the West.