NRHEG girls start, end season No. 1
DETERMINED DRIVE — NRHEG’s Maddie Wagner goes up for a layup while being contested by Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted’s Maggie Miller in the state semifinal game. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
MINNEAPOLIS – Despite the enormous pressure of repeating last year’s state championship, the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team refused to cave in.
The Panthers made it consecutive Class AA titles by taking the top seed and winning three straight games for back-to-back state titles.
NRHEG ended its season a perfect 31-0, and will start next season with a 61-game winning streak intact.
“It is so hard to win a championship, but everyone thought it would be easy to do with everyone we had coming back,” said NRHEG coach John Schultz. “These girls were able to handle the pressure. I’m proud of the way they reacted to that pressure all season.”
Pequot LakesNRHEG broke open a close game with a 12-2 run to start the second half and cruised to a 100-68 victory over Pequot Lakes in Wednesday’s quarterfinal round at Mariucci Arena.
The 100 points set a new state tournament single game mark and the combined total was also a new record.
NRHEG made 13 three-pointers in the game which was another state tournament mark.
The Patriots ended their season with a 23-7 mark.
Pequot Lakes gave the Panthers all they wanted in the first half. The Patriots held a 13-11 lead six minutes into the game. The teams were even halfway through the opening half.
Carlie Wagner sparked a 14-2 Panther run that opened up a 29-17 advantage.
Pequot battled back within 41-39 with two minutes left in the half, but a 9-2 finish gave NRHEG a 50-41 margin at the break.
Wagner had poured in 26 points by intermission.
“I was concerned about our defense,” said Schultz. “We didn’t get out on their shooters like we needed to do. We knew we had to play better defense.”
Wagner scored 19 straight points early in the second half to turn a 13-point Panther lead into a 73-52 margin with 11 minutes left. The lead stayed at least 20 points the rest of the way.
NRHEG shot 49 percent from the floor. The Panthers made 13 of 30 triples and canned 15 of 20 free throws.
Wagner broke her own single game record from a year ago, exploding for 53 points. She hit 17 of 34 shots, 6-16 three-pointers and 13 of 15 free throws. “The Dagger” was 7-11 from the floor in the second half.
Wagner also had seven assists, six rebounds and six steals.
Jade Schultz helped out with 17 points, burying five treys. Schultz grabbed eight rebounds, handed out seven assists and made a pair of steals.
Maddie Wagner produced a double-double for the Panthers with 11 points and 10 boards. Six of her rebounds came on the offensive end.
Marnie Wagner added seven points and five boards, while Paige “The Rock” Overgaard contributed six points and eight rebounds.
Hannah Lundberg snapped down seven rebounds and dished out three assists.
PL shot 39 percent, taking 12 fewer shots than NRHEG. The Pats were 9-27 on triples, but just 11 of 28 from the charity stripe.
Kayla Miller led the Patriots with 25 points, including four triples. She added six rebounds and five assists.
Vanessa Lane and Katie White added 19 points apiece. Lane snared 10 rebounds and White nailed five three-pointers.
NRHEG held a 53 to 37 margin on the boards, including 25 to 20 on the offensive end.
The Panthers turned the ball over 19 times, but forced Pequot Lakes into 23 miscues.
“When teams are going to double Carlie we need our other shooters to step up,” said Schultz. “If you want to try to stop her you are going to give something up. Carlie really came through and so did our other shooters.”
Howard Lake
NRHEG earned a return trip to the state title game with an 87-58 win over the Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Lakers in Friday’s semifinal contest.
The Lakers fell to 28-3 for the season.
The Lakers grabbed an early lead, but Maddie “Fire” Wagner’s three-pointer gave NRHEG a 15-12 advantage at the 11-minute mark.
Howard Lake held Carlie Wagner to 12 first-half points, but the Panthers still held a 40-28 lead.
The Lakers stayed within 10 points for the first four minutes of the second half before the Panthers went on a 26 to 11 run to break things open. Carlie Wagner warmed up and poured in 29 second-half points.
NRHEG shot 38 percent from the floor. The Panthers hit 6-20 behind the arc and were a deadly 25 of 31 from the foul line.
Wagner finished with 41 points, hitting 11 of 27 shots from the floor and 17 of 19 free throws. She added six rebounds and six steals.
Maddie Wagner dumped in 13 points, one more than sister Marnie.
The Wagner sisters outscored Pequot Lakes 66 to 58. Al three knocked down a couple of treys.
Overgaard came up big, scoring eight points, yanking down 15 rebounds (11 offensive), and getting two blocks and two steals.
Schultz, who was in foul trouble all night, did not score a point but pulled down nine boards.
Howard Lake shot 33 percent from the floor, getting off 25 fewer shots. The Lakers were 9-28 from three-point land and 17 of 29 from the foul stripe.
Abby Miller had five threes on the way to a 27-point night for the Lakers.
Gabby Gruenhagen chipped in with 11 points, one more than Cozy Eastman.
NRHEG dominated the boards by as 54 to 31 margin, including 27 to 10 on the offensive end.
Marissa Reed paced Howard Lake with eight rebounds.
The Lakers were guilty of 24 turnovers, 11 more than NRHEG.
Five Panthers were whistled for four fouls by the end of the game.
Kenyon
NRHEG handed Kenyon-Wanamingo its only two losses of the season. The Panthers won by seven points during the regular season and capped a perfect year with a 71-61 triumph in the state championship game at Williams Arena Saturday afternoon.
The Knights wrapped up their year with a 31-2 record.
The game was decided in the first half. K-W shot only 23 percent from the in falling behind 37-19.
A 14-3 spurt, followed by a 12-0 run gave NRHEG 31-13 lead with four minutes remaining in the half.
Carlie Wagner had 10 points in the first half, but five more Panthers scored at least three points.
The Dagger came out firing in the second half. She had four triples in the first six minutes and scored the first 21 points as NRHEG widened its lead to 24 points.
“Carlie can score any way from anywhere,” said Schultz. “She can drive, pop a three or pull up for a jumper.”
The Knights would not go away, getting as close as seven points before NRHEG sealed the win from the foul line.
NRHEG shot 37 percent from the floor, making 10-27 triples and 17 of 31 free throws.
Wagner finished with 36 points, giving her 130 points for the three games. That broke her record of last year by a point.
Wagner also broke the long time record of Janet Karvonen with 371 points in state tourney games.
Wagner was 11 of 32 from the floor, 6-14 behind the arc and 8-14 from the free throw line. She dished out six assists and grabbed eight rebounds.
Maddie Wagner chipped in with nine points, Overgaard had eight and Schultz and Marnie Wagner added seven apiece.
Kenyon shot 33 percent from the floor, making 4-27 threes and 21 of 29 free throws.
Megan Quam, who drained 12 of 13 free throws, paced Kenyon with 22 points.
Siri Sviggum chipped in with 11 points and Audra Clark added 11 points and six assists.
NRHEG finished with a 45 to 42 rebounding advantage, including 17 to 15 on the offensive end.
Maddie Wagner snared 10 boards, Lundberg snapped off nine, Overgaard grabbed six caroms and Schultz nabbed five.
Schultz and Marnie Wagner fouled out for the Panthers.
Audra Clark paced the knights with 11 boards, one more than Quam.
Kenyon was guilty of 18 turnovers, compared to 11 miscues by the Panthers.
Wagner finished her five-year varsity career with a 139-13 record.
“It’s been a tremendous run,” said Schultz. “These girls were always focused and worked hard. They deserve all the success they have achieved.”
The three Wagner sisters were named to the Class 2A All-Tournament Team.
Playing their final games for the Panthers were Carlie Wagner, Jade Schultz, Paige Overgaard and Hannah Lundberg.
Wagner finished her career with 3,957 points, second best among girls in state history.
State Quarterfinals
NRHEG 50 50 100
Pequot Lakes 41 27 68
NRHEG (100): C. Wagner 53, Schultz 17, Mad. Wagner 11, Mar. Wagner 7, Overgaard 6, Lundberg 2, Stork 2, Harrington 2, Ramaker 0, Camerer 0, Hagen 0, Peterson 0. FG: 36-74 (49%, 13-30 3-pters.), FT: 15-20 (75%), PF: 25 (Overgaard out), TP – 100.
Pequot Lakes (68): K. Miller 25, White 19, Lane 19, Ryan 2, Hart 2, B. Miller 1, Buell 0, Wiebolt 0, Carkhuff 0, Lohmiller 0, Ruud 0, Squires 0, Faacks 0, Littman 0. FG: 24-62 (39%, 9-27 3-pters.), FT: 11-28 (39%), PF: 16, TP – 68.
State Semifinals
NRHEG 40 47 87
Howard Lake 28 30 58
NRHEG (87): C. Wagner 41, Mad. Wagner 13, Mar. Wagner 12, Overgaard 8, Ramaker 6, Harrington 4, Peterson 2, Camerer 1, Schultz 0, Lundberg 0, Stork 0, Hagen 0. FG: 28-73 (38%, 6-20 3-pters.), FT: 25-31 (81%), PF: PF: 25, TP – 87.
Howard Lake (58): A. Miller 27, Gruenhagen 11, Eastman 10, Reed 4, M. Uter 3, Woolhouse 2, M. Miller 1, Smida 0, Schank 0, J. Uter 0. FG: 16-48 (33%, 9-28 3-pters.), FT: 17-29 (59%), PF: 23, TP – 58.
State Championship
NRHEG 37 34 71
Kenyon 19 42 61
NRHEG (71): C. Wagner 36, Mad. Wagner 9, Overgaard 8, Schultz 7, Mar. Wagner 7, Lundberg 4, Stork 0. FG: 22-59 (37%, 10-27 3-pters.), FT: 17-31 (55%), PF: 24 (Schultz, Mar. Wagner out), TP – 71.
Kenyon-Wanamingo (61): Meg. Quam 22, Sviggum 11, A. Clark 10, Flom 8, M. Clark 8, Ashland 2, Mar. Quam 0, Bleess 0. FG: 18-55 (33%, 4-27 3-pters.), FT: 21-29 (72%), PF: 25 (Meg. Quam, Mar. Quam out), TP – 61.