Thomas Hennen hits 45; Vikings edge MACCRAY

Minneota got all the battle Iit wanted from the 6-8 MACCRAY Wolverines Thursday night.

The Vikings led just 40-39 at the half — but got Thomas Hennen's best offensive effort ever — 45 points, to shake off the resilient and persistant Wolverines.

Hennen's 45-point outburst fell one-point short of a school record. That's held by Shane Hennen, who had 46 points.

Minneota eventually won the high-scoring battle, 87-83.

In addition to Hennen's herculian ffort, including five of 11 three-pointers, 11 of 15 two-pointers and eight of nine free throws (plus six rebounds) — there was another Hercules on the floor for the Vikings.

Post Logan Sussner scored 19 points, hitting nine of 15 from the free thorw line and he gathered in 21 rebounds, 13 on the offensive boards.

Nolan Boerboom also got into double figures with 12 points and Jacob Hennen added nine. The Vikings hit eight of 19 from three-point land for a hot 42 percent.

But it was MACCRAY that "lit up the night" from long range. They canned 15 of 34 from three-point range for 44 percent, scoring more than half their points from long range.

Brady Kienitz, a MACCRAY sophomore set off the fireworks with seven of 11 three-pointers and 28 points. Junior Blake Wadsworth scored 22 (three of six, three-pointerws) and Sophomore Trenten Cavaness slammed in three three00i9nters and 15 points as the Wolverines took their shot at upsetting Class A's No. 1-ranked team.

The difference in the game may well have been the 20 fouls committed by MACCRAY. The Vikings shot 34 free throws, hitting on 25 of them for a very good 74 percent shooting from the charity line. MACCRAY meanwhile, was only fouled 10 times and hit just two of six free throws.

Instead, the Vikings won their 18th game in 18 starts.

Jacob Hennen was one of the instruments to all that scoring. He had seven assists, with Boerboom, Thomas Hennen and Jared Josephson all getting five each.

On defense, and there was very little of that — Minneota had 10 steals, including four by point guard Josephson to lead the Vikings.

MACCRAY took the lead at the start of the second half, but the Vikings fought back for a 58-48 advantage. But MACCRAY kept hitting the long-range shots and st5ayed in the game. In fact, they crawled back into it at 85-83 — but Thomas Hennen, Sussner and gang were too strong on the offensive boards and were able to shut the Wolverines down the rest of the way.

MINNEOTA (2's, 3's, FT, F, TP) Nolan Boerboom 0 3 3-4 4 12; Riley Buysse 0 0 0-0 0 0; Jacob Hennen 2 0 5-6 2 9; Thomas Hennen 11 5 8-9 0 45; Jared Josephson 0 0 0-0 0 0; Mitchell Rost 0 0 0-0 1 9; Alex Saltzer 1 0 0-0 1 2; Logan Sussner 5 0 9-15 2 19. Totals 19 8 25-34 10 87.

MACCRAY (2's, 3's, FT, F, TP) Eli Aker 0 1 0-0 3 3; Brooks Asche 1 0 0-0 1 2; Trenten Cavaness 3 3 0-2 4 15; Tommy Hoekstra 0 1 0-0 0 3; Kelby Jaensch 0 0 0-0 4 0; Thomas Kirking 4 0 0-0 1 10; Brady Kienitz 3 7 1-3 28; Blake Wadsworth 6 3 1-1 2 22. Totals 18 15 2-6 20 83.

Score by halves

Minneota              40    47  —  87

MACCRAY           39    44  —  83

Statistics:

SHOOTING: Minneota (2's 19 of 46 for 41 percent; 3's 8 of 19 for 42 percent; overall 27 of 65 for 42 percent); MACCRAY (2's 18 of 32 for 56 percent; 3's 15 of 34 for 44 percent; overall 33 of 66 for 50 percent).

FREE THROWS: Minneota 25 of 34 for 74 percent; MACCRAY 2 of 6 for 33 percent.

REBOUNDS: Minneota 34 (Sussner 21, T. Hennen 6, Josephson 3, Boerboom 2, J. Hennen and Saltzer 1 each); MACCRAY 13.

TURNOVERS: Minneota 4; MACCRAY 8.

STEALS: Minneota 10 (Josephson 4, Suyssner and T. Hennen 2 each, Buysse, J. Hennen 1 each); MACCRAY 0.

ASSISTS: Minneota 24 (J. Hennen 7, T, Hennen, Josephson, Boerboom 5 each, Sussner, Buysse 1 each); MACCRAY 4.

BLOCKS: Minneota 1 (T. Hennen 1); MACCRAY 1.