Panthers continue to light up scoreboard
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
Despite playing a pair of road games, the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team continued to wear out opponents’ scoreboards.
Coach John Schultz’s squad racked up 168 points in two victories, stretching its current winning streak to four games.
The Panthers defeated section foe Southland and Gopher Conference rival Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton to improve their record to 6-1 for the year. The state’s second-ranked AA team has won four of five road games this winter.
Southland
ADAMS – Southland was able to keep NRHEG from getting easy baskets and successful in shutting nearly everyone down, but the Rebels did not have an answer for Carlie “Dagger” Wagner in Adams Dec. 18.
Wagner poured in a school-record 50 points to carry NRHEG to a 78-71 victory.
The Rebels, one of the better teams in Section 2AA, suffered only their second loss in seven starts.“Carlie just took over the game offensively,” said Schultz. “She did not get many transition baskets and had to work hard for most of her shots.”
The final score was closer than the game itself. The Panthers had a 12-point advantage at the intermission, 39-27.
NRHEG maintained that lead much of the second half and held a 77-62 margin with under two minutes remaining. The Rebels ended the game on a 9-2 run to narrow the deficit.
“Southland played well and got after it,” said Schultz. “They will be a tough team in our sub-section.”
NRHEG did not have a great shooting night, making 38 percent of its shots from the floor. The Panthers were only 4-25 behind the arc, but drilled 20-28 free throws.
Southland shot 48 percent for the game, but attempted 18 fewer shots. The Rebels were 5-19 from three-point range and 14-27 from the charity stripe.
Wagner pumped in three triples and 11-15 free throws to reach her 50 points. She made 18-37 shots from the floor.
Eighth-grader Maddie Wagner was the only other Panther player in double figures, coming off the bench to score 11 points.
Marnie Wagner and Jade Schultz both handed out three assists. Schultz experienced a cold shooting night and was held to three points.
Southland placed three players in double figures. Jana Shammel and Haley Kirpatrick scored 20 points apiece for the Rebels, McKenzie Kirtz tossed in 13 and Megan Mullenbach finished with nine.
NRHEG held a 41-28 rebounding advantage. Schultz paced the winners with nine rebounds, Carlie Wagner snared six boards and Katie Cole, Raelin Schue and Hannah Lundberg grabbed five caroms apiece.
Carlie Wagner had five steals and five blocked shots for NRHEG.
The Panthers forced Southland into 18 turnovers, while committing just 12 of their own.
Grant Berg’s junior varsity squad remained unbeaten with a 40-34 victory.
JWP
JANESVILLE – NRHEG reached the 90-point mark for the second time this season, blasting JWP 90-27 in Janesville Friday.
The Bulldogs dropped their third straight conference game and fell to 2-4 overall.
NRHEG, which defeated JWP by more than 40 points twice a year ago, climbed to 3-0 in the conference.
This game was no contest from the start. NRHEG bolted to a 48-12 halftime lead and outscored the Dawgs 42-15 in the final half.
“It was a nice team win. Most of our players scored and all of them saw a lot of action,” said Coach Schultz. “We did a great job on the boards and hustling in transition.”
NRHEG hoisted up 96 shots, connecting on 40 percent of them. The Panthers were 6-17 from three and 9-14 from the free throw strip.
JWP made only 14 percent of its 43 shots. The Bulldogs were 1-21 behind the arc and 12-20 on free throws.
Carlie Wagner pumped in 31 points for the Panthers, her lowest point total this season. She dropped three triples and handed out four assists.
Schultz was back on track with 16 points, while Cole scored a season-best 11 points. Abby Crabtree flipped in eight points, one more than Maddie “Fire” Wagner.
Sophomore Kennedy Strauss topped JWP’s attack with 11 points.
NRHEG’s defense held the top two JWP scorers, Sam Gruis and Maddie Krautkremer, to two points apiece.
Schultz snared 11 rebounds to pace the Panthers to a 48-19 advantage on the boards. NRHEG had 27 offensive rebounds.
Cole nabbed six rebounds, with Carlie Wagner, Lundberg, Crabtree and Paige Overgaard all snaring five boards.
Carlie Wagner had six steals, two more than younger sister Marnie. The Panthers had 23 steals in the game.
NRHEG forced the Dawgs into 35 turnovers, 20 more than it committed.
The Panther junior varsity improved to 6-0 with a 59-41 triumph over JWP.
NRHEG will head to the St. Peter Holiday Tournament on Friday and Saturday. The Panthers will tangle with Hutchinson in a 2 p.m. game Friday. The Panthers will play either St. Peter or Bemidji the second day of the tourney.
NRHEG 78, Southland 71
NRHEG 39 39 78
Southland 27 44 71
NRHEG (78): Wagner 50, Mad. Wagner 11, Cole 6, Lundberg 4, Schultz 3, Overgaard 2, Schue 0, Mar. Wagner 0, FG: 27-72 (38%, 4-25 3-pters.), FT: 20-28 (71%), PF: 19, TP-78.
NRHEG 90, JWP 27
NRHEG 48 42 90
JWP 12 15 27
NRHEG (90): Wagner 31, Schultz 16, Cole 11, Crabtree 8, Mad. Wagner 7, Mar. Wagner 6, Lundberg 5, Schue 4, Overgaard 2, Stork 0. FG: 38-96 (40%, 6-17 3-pters.), FT: 9-14 (64%), PF: 19 (Overgaard out), TP: 90.
NEXT: Friday – NRHEG vs. Hutchinson at St. Peter, 2 p.m.