GIRLS BASKETBALL
Minneota was unable to hold onto to an early eight-point lead and fell to Hancock 75-62 in a non-conference game Tuesday night in Minneota.
The Vikings (9-2) were coming off a big win over No. 4-ranked Sleepy Eye, but were unable to topple the No. 8-ranked Owls (9-1).
Faith Myhre hit four 3-pointers and led the Vikings with 20 points to go along with eight rebounds. Grace Hennen had 14 points, while Dakoda Hennen and Kiersyn Hulzebos had 10 points each.
Both teams shot exceptionally well, each draining 10 three-pointers.
Minneota led 15-7 and maintained its lead for most of the first half before Hancock went on a 14-0 run to take a 36-27 lead. Minneota then went on a 5-0 run right before halftime to whittle the deficit to 36-32.
Although the Vikings closed to within one point early in the second half, they were never able to tie the game or take a lead in the second half.
Kaitlyn Rohloff had four 3-pointers and 22 points for Hancock. Kaitlyn Staples had 18 points, Misti Zempel 14,and Brooke VerSteeg 12.
Hancock 75, Minneota 62
Hancock..................................................36 39 - 75
Minneota.................................................32 30 - 62
Team Statistics
FG shooting: Hancock 26-for-57, 45.6 percent; Minneota 23-for-51, 45.1 percent ... 3-point shooting: Hancock 10-for-22, 45.4 percent; Minneota 10-for-23, 43.5 percent ... FT shooting: Hancock 13-for-17, 76.5 percent; Minneota 6-for-14, 42.9 percent ... Rebounds: Sleepy Eye 29, Minneota 34 ... Turnovers: Sleepy Eye 21, Minneota 23 ... Fouls: Sleepy Eye 13, Minneota 8
Hancock Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga, ftm-fta, pts): Kaylynn Christianson 3-3 0-0 7, Autumn Hubbard 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Nesvig 1-2 0-1 2, Abigail Nuest 0-1 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Rohloff 8-18 2-3 22, Isabel Rose 0-0 0-0 0, Kaitlyn Staples 5-12 5-6 18, Brooke VerSteeg 5-10 0-0 12, Misti Zempel 4-11 6-7 14 ... 3-pointers: Rohloff 4, Staples 3, VerSteeg 2, Christianson 1 ... Rebound leader: Zempel 9 ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leader: VerSteeg 4
Minneota Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga, ftm-fta, pts): Kenadi Arndt 1-1 2-4 4, Emma Bottelberghe 1-4 0-0 2, Sarah Gruenes 0-0 0-0 0, Dakoda Hennen 3-7 1-3 10, Grace Hennen 5-12 2-3 14, Nevaeh Hennen 1-4 0-2 2, Kiersyn Hulzebos 4-7 1-2 10, Faith Myhre 8-16 0-0 20 ... 3-pointers: Myhre 4 D.Hennen 3, G.Hennen 2. Hulzebos 1 ... Rebounds: Arndt 9, Myhre 8, G.Hennen 5, D.Hennen 2, N.Hennen 2, Hulzebos 2, Bottelberghe 1, Gruenes 1 ... Assists: G.Hennen 6, Arndt 3, D.Hennen 2, Hulzebos 2, Myhre 1 ... Steals: Arndt 4, D.Hennen 1, G.Hennen 1
(Result Thursday, Dec. 28)
Minneota 56, Sleepy Eye 53
Minneota had entered Thursday’s clash with Sleepy Eye with just one close loss all season, yet despite an 8-1 record the Vikings were unranked in the Class A poll. Sleepy Eye entered the game with a 10-0 record and boasted a No. 4 ranking.
Minneota managed to pull out a 56-53 victory over Sleepy Eye in the second day of the Southwest Minnesota State University Holiday Invitational last Thursday.
“We did a good job slowing (Kadence) Hess down in the first half,” said Minneota coach Al Panka, referring to Sleepy Eye’s talented 5-11 senior. “A good inside player like her is going to finish at an 80 percent rate, so we tried to keep her as far away from the basket as we could.”
Dakoda Hennen had 14 points to lead three Minneota players in double figures. Faith Myhre and Grace Hennen finished with 13 points apiece.
Minneota (9-1) was in command over three-fourths of the game, leading by eight points at halftime and by 15 points with 14 minutes left in the game. Sleepy Eye rallied back to tie the game 46-46 following an 18-4 run, then took a 49-47 lead on a three-pointer by Cadence Okerman.
“Sleepy Eye has a good team and I knew they would go on a run at some point,” said Panka. “You just have to hope you can slow them down enough. We had a few too many turnovers because I think our girls maybe let up a little and took a breath when we had a nice lead and you just can’t do that against a good team.”
Minneota regrouped and eventually regained the lead, and then hit some crucial free throws down the stretch to hold off Sleepy Eye.
Myhre was fouled after making a short jumper and completed the three-point play with 3:45 left, giving Minneota a 50-49 lead that it would not relinquish.
Sleepy Eye missed a shot on its ensuing possession and Grace Hennen pulled down the rebound. Myhre then drove to the basket and scored for a 52-49 lead.
Trailing 52-51, the Indians had a chance to take the lead with 1:35 remaining before Kenadi Arndt stepped in front of a pass for her third steal of the game. Grace Hennen, who also had eight rebounds and three steals, was fouled at the other end and drained both free shots.
Grace then came up with a steal, was fouled, and cashed both free throws again with 20 seconds left for a 56-51 advantage.
“I think our girls play better defense than I give them credit for,” said Panka. “They buckled down after Sleepy Eye got the lead and played solid defense.”
Kadence Hesse, who led all scorers with 24 points, then sank a turnaround jumper with eight seconds left to make it 56-53.
After Minneota missed a free throw, Sleepy Eye got the rebound and threw up a desperation three-point shot that grazed the rim but missed, giving Minneota the hard-fought win.
Arndt had nine points to go along with four points and four assists. Nevaeh Hennen and Kiersyn Hulzebos added five points apiece and Emma Bottelberghe had two points.
Minneota had lost to Sleepy Eye each of the past two years in this holiday invitational; 53-52 in 2021 and again last year, 48-38.
MINNEOTA 56, SLEEPY EYE 53
Sleepy Eye..............................................26 27 - 53
Minneota..................................................34 22 - 56
Team Statistics
FG shooting: Sleepy Eye 23-for-55, 41.8 percent; Minneota 20-for-55, 36.4 percent ... 3-point shooting: Sleepy Eye 2-for-8, 25.0 percent; Minneota 3-for-17, 17.6 percent ... FT shooting: Sleepy Eye 5-for-8, 62.5 percent; Minneota 13-for-18, 72.2 percent ... Rebounds: Sleepy Eye 29, Minneota 34 ... Turnovers: Sleepy Eye 21, Minneota 23 ... Fouls: Sleepy Eye 13, Minneota 8
Sleepy Eye Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga, ftm-fta, pts): Taylor Berkner 1-2 0-0 2, Paige Haala 4-6 0-0 8, Brissa Hernandez 0-1 2-2 2, Kadence Hesse 11-25 2-5 24, Breaunna Mertz 4-9 1-1 10, Cadence Okerman 2-8 0-0 5, Sam Price 1-4 0-0 2 ... 3-pointers: Mertz 1, Okerman 1 ... Rebound leader: Mertz 11 ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leaders: Hesse 4, Mertz 4
Minneota Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga, ftm-fta, pts): Kenadi Arndt 2-6 0-0 4, Emma Bottelberghe 1-3 0-0 2, Sarah Gruenes 0-0 0-0 0, Dakoda Hennen 5-13 3-3 14, Grace Hennen 3-8 7-9 13, Nevaeh Hennen 2-5 0-0 5, Kiersyn Hulzebos 1-5 2-4 5, Faith Myhre 6-15 1-2 13 ... 3-pointers: D.Hennen 1. N.Hennen 1, Hulzebos 1 ... Rebounds: Arndt 9, G.Hennen 8, Myhre 5, Bottelberghe 4, Hulzebos 4, D.Hennen 2, N.Hennen 2 ... Assists: Arndt 4, Hulzebos 3, D.Hennen 2, G.Hennen 2. Myhre 1 ... Steals: G.Hennen 3, Arndt 3, D.Hennen 2, Hulzebos 1, Myhre 1
(Result Wednesday, Dec. 27)
Minneota 67, St. Clair 42
Minneota dug itself out of an early hole and went on to bury St. Clair 67-42 in the first day of the two-Day Southwest Minnesota State University Holiday Tournament last Wednesday afternoon.
Four players amassed double figures in scoring for the Vikings (8-1). Faith Myhre drained four 3-pointers en route to her game-high 18 points. Dakoda Hennen added 13 points, Kenadi Arndt continued to deliver double-doubles with 10 points and 16 rebounds, and Kiersyn Hulzebos finished with 11 points. Emma Bottelberghe had six points and seven rebounds.
St. Clair jumped out to a 10-5 lead before Minneota had an 8-2 run to grab a 13-12 lead. The Vikings continued to roll in the first half, leading 39-23 at the break and never trailed after that.
The Vikings, who outrebounded St. Clair 40-18, shot a season-best 47 percent from the field with Arndt going 5-for-5. Minneota also cashed all six of its free-throw attempts.
Steph Cink led St. Clair with 15 points, while Brooklin Hinze had 14. St. Clair was limited to 27 percent shooting.
MINNEOTA 67, ST. CLAIR 42
St. Clair....................................................23 19 - 42
Minneota..................................................39 32 - 67
Team Statistics
FG shooting: St. Clair 15-for-54, 27.8 percent; Minneota 27-for-57, 47.4 percent ... 3-point shooting: St. Clair 4-for-17, 23.5 percent; Minneota 7-for-25, 28.0 percent ... FT shooting: St. Clair 8-for-12, 66.7 percent; Minneota 6-for-6, 100 percent ... Rebounds: St. Clair 31, Minneota 47 ... Turnovers: St. Clair 18, Minneota 14 ... Fouls: St. Clair 16, Minneota 11
St. Clair Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga, ftm-fta, pts): Megan Bowe 1-2 0-0 2, Steph Cink 5-17 3-4 15, Irie Hansen 0-0 0-0 0, Brooklin Hinze 5-16 4-5 14,Clara Jeddeloh 1-6 0-0 3, Courtney Loeffler 0-1 0-0 0, Aubree Mathiowetz 0-2 0-0 0, Brooklyn Meng 3-9 0-1 7, Valerie Quast 0-0 0-0 0, Tori Ward 0-0 0-0 0, Kadence Wilmes 0-1 1-2 1 ... 3-pointers: Cink 2, Jeddeloh 1, Meng 1 ... Rebound leaders: Cink 4, Jeddeloh 4 ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leaders: Meng 2
Minneota Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga, ftm-fta, pts): Kenadi Arndt 5-5 0-0 10, Emma Bottelberghe 3-5 0-0 6, Sarah Gruenes 0-0 0-0 0, Brooke DeSmet 0-1 0-0 0, Dakoda Hennen 6-11 0-0 13, Grace Hennen 2-8 0-0 5, Nevaeh Hennen 0-4 2-2 2, Kiersyn Hulzebos 4-7 2-2 11, Hadli Krog 0-0 0-0 0, Faith Myhre 7-15 0-0 15, Dakota Pesch 0-1 0-0 0, Abby Rolbiecki 0-0 2-2 2, Claire Rost 0-0 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Myhre 4, Hulzebos 1, D.Hennen 1, G.Hennen 1 ... Rebounds: Arndt 16, Bottelberghe 7, G.Hennen 4, D.Hennen 3, Hulzebos 3, Myhre 3, Gruenes 2, Rolbiecki 1, Krog 1 ... Assists: G.Hennen 4, Arndt 4, D.Hennen 2, Bottelberghe 2, Gruenes 1, Hulzebos 1 ... Steals: G.Hennen 2, N.Hennen 1, Myhre 1