D-B nips Minneota; playoffs next
In a back-and-forth game all night, Dawson-Boyd freshman Brayson Boike hit five straight free throws down the stretch and the Blackjacks held off Minneota 58-56 in the regular-season finale Monday night in Dawson.
This game was originally scheduled to be played Jan. 4 but was rescheduled twice because of inclement weather.
Dawson-Boyd (15-10), the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Section 3A-North tournament, led by as many as 12 points in the second half before Minneota rallied back. But the Vikings were unable to tie the game or take the lead as they made just 3 of 7 free throws over the final three minutes.
Boike finished with a game-high 21 points for the Blackjacks. Keegon Wicht had 16 points.
For Minneota (5-21), Peyton Sheik had 13 points, Cale Sorensen 12, Max Rost 11, Anthony Rybinski nine, Ryan Dalager six and Sawyer DeSmet five.
Minneota, the No. 8 seed, will host No. 9 Canby in the section opener on Thursday night. The Vikings have beaten Canby both times in the previous meetings this season.
Dawson-Boyd 58, Minneota 56
Dawson-Boyd...........................................58
Minneota..................................................56
Dawson-Boyd Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Brayson Boike 21, Keegon Wicht 16, Aiden Swenson 9, Levi Olson 6, Carter Bowen 6 ... Rebound leader: not available ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leader: not available.
Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Ryan Dalager 6, Garet DeBoer 0, Sawyer DeSmet 5, Anthony Rybinski 9, Max Rost 11, Peyton Sheik 13, Cale Sorensen 12 ... Rebounds: not available ... Assists: not available ... Steals: not available
Luverne 73, Minneota 59
(Result Friday, Feb. 25)
Gannon Ahrendt, a 6-4 junior forward, poured in a game-high 36 points as the Cardinals (10-13) held off the Vikings in Minneota.
Minneota (5-20) played well throughout the game, but couldn't contain Ahrendt, who had 17 first-half points and 19 in the second half.
Trailing 16-9, the Vikings rallied back and took a 21-20 lead when Cale Sorensen came up with a steal and a coast-to-coast layup.
Luverne went back on top on a pair of free throws by Arendt before Sorensen drained a three-pointer for a 24-22 Viking lead. The would be the last lead the Vikings would enjoy.
Sorensen, who started off the game with a steal and layup for a 2-0 lead, led the Vikings with 16 points, 10 rebounds, eight steals and two assists.
Max Rost and Ryan Dalager had 11 points apiece. Dalager hit three 3-pointers for the second straight game. Peyton Sheik added nine points, Sawyer DeSmet had six points and 10 rebounds, and Anthony Rybinski had six points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists.
(LUVERNE 73, MINNEOTA 59)
Luverne.....................................................38 35 - 73
Minneota..................................................28 31 - 59
Team Statistics
Field goal shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Luverne 25-for-45, 55.6 percent. Minneota 26-for-62, 41.9 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Luverne 5-for-13, 38.5 percent. Minneota 7-for-22, 31.8 percent ... Rebounds: Luverne 34, Minneota 45.
Luverne Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Gannon Ahrendt 36, Nathaniel Cole-Kroty 7, Jordan Fredrichsen 1, Connor Overgaard 10, Eli Radtke 8, Gavin DeBeer 4, Colin Schoeneman 3, Casey Sehr 4 ... 3-pointers: Ahrendt 3, Radtke 1, Schoeneman 1 ... Rebound leader: Ahrendt 7 ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leader: not available.
Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga ftm-fta points): Ryan Dalager 4-7 0-0 11, Garet DeBoer 1-3 0-0 2, Sawyer DeSmet 3-4 0-0 6, Jackson Lacek 0-0 0-0 0, Anthony Rybinski 3-8 0-0 6, Max Rost 5-13 0-0 13, Peyton Sheik 4-11 0-0 9, Cale Sorensen 6-16 2-6 16, Benjamin Schmidt 0-0 0-0 0, Grant Anderson 0-0 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Dalager 3, Sorensen 2, Sheik 1, Rost 1 ... Rebounds: DeSmet 10, Sorensen 10, Sheik 9, Dalager 6, DeBoer 4, Rybinski 4, Lacek 1, Rost 1 ... Assists: DeSmet 2, Sorensen 2, Rybinski , Dalager 1, Sheik 1 ... Steals: Sorensen 8, Rybinski 3, DeSmet 1.
SW Christian 87, Minneota 61
(Result Thursday, Feb. 24)
Despite a career-high 18 points and 17 rebounds from sophomore forward Sawyer DeSmet, Minneota was unable to stay with the Eagles (21-4), who had a definite height and depth advantage.
SW Christian bolted to a 7-0 lead and never trailed as they sank 10 three-pointers and made two dunks.
DeSmet, whose previous high of 11 points came in the season opener, made 8 of 9 shots from the field. Cale Sorensen added 13 points. Ryan Dalager netted a trio of three-pointers and finished with 10 points. Max Rost had nine points, Garet DeBoer five and Anthony Rybinski six.
The Vikings, who have a short bench, had three players in foul trouble in the first half as they attempted to thwart the Eagles' drives to the basket. DeBoer eventually fouled out late in the game.
The Eagles, who have eight players that stand between 6-3 and 6-9, utilized a balanced scoring attack, led by Micah Schapp with 20, and Carter VanHulzen and Dawson Rieck with 15 apiece. Eleven players in all scored for Southwest Christian.
VanHulzen and Micah Schaap each delivered a dunk in the first half, exciting the boisterous home crowd.
(SW CHRISTIAN 87, MINNEOTA 61)
Southwest Christian...........................................53 34 - 87
Minneota...........................................................32 29 - 61
Team Statistics
Field goal shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Southwest Christian 30-for-44, 68.2 percent. Minneota 24-for-55, 43.6 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Southwest Christian 9-for-16, 56.2 percent. Minneota 5-for-14, 35.7 percent ... Rebounds: Southwest Christian 29, Minneota 39.
SW Christian Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Cody Van't Hof 4, Dawson Rieck 15, Micah Schaap 20, Cole Walhof 7, Carter VanHulzen 15, Jacob Uilk 6, Hayden Schaap 8, Bennett Talsma 2, Levi VanDyken 5, Ethan Sas 2, Grant Busker 3 ... 3-pointers: Rieck 3, VanHulzen 2, Uilk 2, VanDyken 1, Busker 1 ... Rebound leader: VanHulzen 9 ... Assist leader: M.Schaap 5 ... Steal leader: M.Schaap 4.
Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga ftm-fta points): Ryan Dalager 3-6 1-1 10, Garet DeBoer 2-4 1-2 5, Sawyer DeSmet 8-9 2-2 18, Jackson Lacek 0-1 0-0 0, Anthony Rybinski 3-6 0-0 6, Max Rost 3-11 3-4 9, Peyton Sheik 0-0 0-0 0, Cale Sorensen 5-18 1-2 13, Ben Schmidt 0-0 0-0 0, Grant Anderson 0-0 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Dalager 3, Sorensen 2 ... Rebounds: DeSmet 17, Sorensen 9, Sheik 4, DeBoer 4, Rybinski 3, Dalager 1 Rost 1 ... Assists: Rost 3, Dalager 2, Sorensen 2, Sheik 1, Rybinski 1 ... Steals: Dalager 1, DeSmet 1, Lacek 1, Rost 1, Sorensen 1.
Vikings to open playoffs March 3
The Minneota Vikings are the No, 8 seed in the upcoming Section 3A-North playoffs and will host No. 9 Canby on Thursday, March 3. The winner of that game will meet No. 1 Central Minnesota Christian at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 5 at Southwest Minnesota State University.
SECTION 3A-NORTH
(First round March 3)
1. #9 Canby at #8 Minneota, 7 p.m.
2. #10 Yellow Medicine East at #7 MACCRAY, 7 p.m.
(Quarterfinals March 5 at Montevideo)
3. Winner-1 vs. #1 Central Minnesota Christian, 11 a.m.
4. #4 Lac qui Parle Valley vs. #5 Wabasso, 12:30 p.m.
5. Winner-2 vs. #2 Lakeview, 2:30 p.m.
6. #3 Dawson-Boyd vs. #6 Renville County West, 4 p.m.
(Semifinals March 10 at SMSU)
7. Winner-3 vs. Winner-4, 6 p.m.
8. Winner-5 vs. Winner-6, 7:30 p.m.
(Final March 12 at SMSU)
9. Winner-7 vs. Winner-8, 8 p.m.
SECTION 3A-SOUTH
(First round March 3)
1. #9 Red Rock Central at #8 Adrian-Ellsworth, 7 p.m.
2. #10 Edgerton at #7 Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda, 7 p.m.
(Quarterfinals March 5 at Worthington)
3. Winner-1 vs. #1 Southwest Christian, 11 a.m.
4. #4 Murray County Central vs. #5 Westbrook-Walnut Grove, 12:30 p.m.
5. Winner-2 vs. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton, 2:30 p.m.
6. #3 Tracy-Milroy-Balaton vs. #6 Hills-Beaver Creek, 4 p.m.
(Semifinals March 10 at Worthington)
7. Winner-2 vs. Winner-3, 6 p.m.
8. Winner-4 vs. Winner-5, 7:30 p.m.
(Final March 12 at Worthington)
9. Winner-7 vs. Winner-8, 6 p.m.
SECTION 3A
(Championship March 17 at SMSU)
10. 3A-North winner vs. 3A-South winner, 5 p.m.