NRHEG girls advance to state
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS — NRHEG girls' basketball captains Danielle Krueger, Anna Schlaak and Tori Raimann hoist the Section 2AA championship trophy after the Panthers' 59-54 victory over St. Peter at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter Friday night. The win advanced the Panthers (30-0) to the state tournament, where they'll face Section 7AA champion Braham (29-1) Wednesday, March 14 at 6 p.m. at Target Center in Minneapolis. (Star Eagle photos by Chris Schlaak)
HOW SWEET IT IS — The Panthers and coach John Schultz celebrate their section championship at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter Friday night.
HOW DO YOU SPELL INTENSITY? — A fired up Carlie Wagner (3) leads the Panthers on the court for Friday night's Section 2AA championship game against St. Peter. Wagner scored 25 points, making her NRHEG's all-time scoring leader in basketball (boys and girls) with 1,588 points and counting. The previous record was 1,578 by Alison Anderson. Wagner, a sophomore, has scored 844 points this season, also a school record.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Fans of NRHEG girls’ basketball were hopeful for months, and most of them probably expected it, but the road is not easy and until it really happens, you never know.
Now we do.
The Panthers are going to the state tournament.
The local girls defeated St. Peter 59-54 in front of a packed house at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter Friday night for the Section 2AA championship, sending them to the big show in the Twin Cities for the second time in school history.
What does this mean for the Panthers?
“It means everything,” said coach John Schultz. “For the girls, the biggest goal they’ve ever had is to get to the state tournament.”
The Panthers, rated No. 2 in Class AA in the final Associated Press state poll, remained undefeated for the season at 30-0. They meet defending state champion Braham (29-1) in the opening round of the state tournament Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Target Center in Minneapolis.
A win in the opening round would put the Panthers in the semifinals Friday at 6 p.m. at Target Center against Sauk Centre or Worthington. The championship game is Saturday at 2 p.m. at Target Center. The third-place game is Saturday at noon at Concordia College in St. Paul. A first-round loss would eliminate the Panthers from the tournament.
Sophomore Carlie Wagner led the Panthers Friday with 25 points, five assists, four steals and four rebounds. She became NRHEG's all-time scoring leader in basketball (boys and girls) with 1,588 points and counting. The previous record was 1,578 by Alison Anderson.
The rest of the Panthers include seniors Tori Raimann, Anna Schlaak and Danielle Krueger, juniors Abby Crabtree, Katie Cole and Raelin Schue, sophomores Jade Schultz, Hannah Lundberg and Paige Overgaard and seventh-graders Marnie Wagner and Maddie Wagner.
Coach Schultz said the Panthers plan to go for it at state, but that just making it is a big accomplishment and the players should be proud.
“We’ll prepare hard, we’ll play hard,” said Schultz. “But achieving the goal of making the state tournament is every kid’s dream, that’s for sure.”