Panthers wrap up conference title
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
Even four games in five days couldn’t slow down the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team.
The Panthers stretched their winning streak to 20 games by demolishing Gopher Conference foes Medford and Randolph, and blasting non-conference opponents Blue Earth and Goodhue, to add four more wins to their outstanding season. NRHEG is 12-0 in the conference, and has wrapped up its fifth consecutive conference championship. The Panthers are 22-1 and ranked second in Class AA.
Medford
NEW RICHLAND – The Panthers piled up the points for the second time this season against Medford, routing the Tigers 87-37 in New Richland Feb. 5. NRHEG won the first meeting 79-17.
Medford fell to 3-8 in the Gopher Conference and 6-14 for the year.NRHEG was leading 14-12 in the first half when it went on a 35-6 run to take a 50-18 halftime cushion. The Panthers outscored Medford 37-19 in the final half.
“We picked it up a notch defensively to go on our run in the first half,” said NRHEG coach John Schultz. “I was happy with our efforts on the boards, and our pressure defense and transition game worked well after the first nine minutes.”
The one-two punch of Carlie “Dagger” Wagner and Jade “Jewel” Schultz paced the Panther attack. Wagner poured in 35 points and dished out five assists. Schultz fired in 24 points, nailing four three-pointers.
Maddie “Fire” Wagner scored eight points, one more than Paige Overgaard.
Nicole Morgan scored 16 points and Abby Chappuis added 15 for Medford.
NRHEG shot 50 percent from the floor and held Medford to 28 percent shooting.
The Panthers held a huge 51-14 advantage in rebounds. Overgaard hauled down 12 rebounds, Schultz yanked down 11 boards and Wagner grabbed eight caroms.
Wagner and Hannah Lundberg had four steals apiece.
Medford was guilty of 27 turnovers, 10 more than NRHEG.
The Panther junior varsity blasted Medford 64-29.
Blue Earth
NEW RICHLAND – The NRHEG defense held Blue Earth to three field goals the entire game in hammering the section foe Buccaneers 54-17 in New Richland last Thursday.
The Panthers defeated BE 59-33 and 69-50 last year, the second win coming in the sub-section title game. Blue Earth fell to 11-6.
“Our defense was really on its game tonight, and everyone played their role defensively,” said Schultz. “BE didn’t get many shots and couldn’t make the ones they did have. I’m very proud of our effort.”
Carlie Wagner fired in 18 first-half points, leading the Panthers to a 30-7 lead. Maddie Wagner nailed a pair of threes and provided 10 points off the bench.
Things did not get any better for Blue Earth in the second half as the Bucs had just one basket and eight free throws.
The Panthers hit 48 percent of their shots and 6-9 free throws. Blue Earth made just 3-32 field goals and 11-16 charity tosses.
Carlie Wagner finished with 27 points, with three triples and 4-5 free throws. She also handed out four assists.
Maddie Wagner flipped in 10, with Schultz and Lundberg adding five apiece.
Krista Hassing and Taylor Grandgenett topped the Bucs with six points apiece.
The Panthers controlled the boards by a 32-15 margin. Schultz yanked down 11 rebounds for NRHEG. She also had six steals on defense.
The Panthers committed just 12 turnovers, while forcing Blue Earth into 26 mistakes.
NRHEG’s JV bounced the Bucs 50-35.
Randolph
RANDOLPH – NRHEG fired up 81 shots in rolling to a 94-36 triumph over the Randolph Rockets in Randolph Friday. The Panthers won the earlier meeting 67-19.
Randolph dropped to 2-10 in the Gopher and 8-16 overall.
NRHEG connected on 37 percent of its shots, while Randolph made 38 percent, but only attempted 37 shots.
All eight players in uniform scored for the Panthers. Carlie Wagner had 33 points, including three triples. She handed out seven assists, as did Lundberg.
Overgaard scored a season high 15 points, Schultz popped in 12, Katie Cole added 11 and Marnie “Ice” Wagner chipped in nine. Cole nailed three triples, one more than Schultz and Marnie Wagner.
Maddie Taylor topped the Rockets with nine points.
NRHEG won the boards by a 48-15 margin. Schultz and Overgaard snared 11 rebounds apiece, Carlie Wagner grabbed seven boars and Lundberg picked off six caroms.
Lundberg had five steals, one more than Schultz.
The Rockets were guilty of 27 turnovers, compared to just 11 for NRHEG.
The NRHEG junior varsity held off Randolph in the preliminary game, 37-32.
Goodhue
NORTHFIELD – The Panthers tangled with the Goodhue Wildcats, the fifth-ranked team in Class A, in a game at Carleton College Saturday afternoon.
NRHEG took a 32-18 halftime lead and rolled to a 67-49 triumph.
Goodhue suffered only its fifth loss against 19 wins.
“We forced a number of turnovers in the first half which led to our 14 point lead,” said Schultz. “We picked up our rebounding in the second half and had a pretty good game behind the arc.”
NRHEG had nine three-pointers and shot 53 percent from the floor. The Wildcats made 37 percent of their fielders.
Three Panthers found their way into double figures. Carlie Wagner nailed three triples on the way to scoring 29 points. She also dished out 11 assists.
“Goodhue did not have an answer to stopping her,” said Schultz.
Maddie Wagner and Overgaard scored 14 and 12 points respectively, both drilling a pair of treys. Schultz also nailed a pair of threes and handed out five assists.
Kayla Miller pumped in 19 points for Goodhue, and Meredith Watson added 10.
NRHEG held a 35-26 rebound advantage. Schultz grabbed 10 rebounds, Cole grabbed seven boards and Maddie Wagner had six rebounds.
Carlie Wagner also had seven steals on defense.
The Cats had 22 turnovers in the game, five more than NRHEG.
“Our kids played very physical and tough tonight,” said Schultz. “This team rises to the occasion. We reached a new level tonight.”
The Panthers entertain Blooming Prairie Friday. NRHEG closes its regular season schedule at Tri-City United Tuesday.
NRHEG 87, Medford 37
Medford 18 19 37
NRHEG 50 37 87
NRHEG (87): C. Wagner 35, Schultz 24, Mad. Wagner 8, Overgaard 7, Cole 5, Lundberg 4, Mar. Wagner 4.
NRHEG 54, Blue Earth 17
BE 7 10 17
NRHEG 30 24 54
NRHEG (54): C. Wagner 27, Mad. Wagner 10, Schultz 5, Lundberg 5, Cole 4, Mar. Wagner 3.
NRHEG 94. Randolph 36
NRHEG 55 39 94
Randolph 16 20 36
NRHEG (94): C. Wagner 33, Overgaard 15, Schultz 12, Cole 11, Mar. Wagner 9, Crabtree 6, Lundberg 4, Stork 2.
NRHEG 67, Goodhue 49
NRHEG 32 35 67
Goodhue 18 31 49
NRHEG (67): C. Wagner 29, Mad. Wagner 14, Overgaard 12, Schultz 6, Mar. Wagner 4, Cole 2.
NEXT: Friday – Blooming Prairie at NRHEG, 7:15 p.m.