Hayfield hands NRHEG basketball girls first conference loss, 58-56
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
The NRHEG girls' basketball team suffered its first conference loss to Hayfield in heartbreaking fashion Friday night, losing on the final basket of the game, a layup in the paint as time expired.
“The girls played their hearts out,” NRHEG coach Onika Peterson said. “It came down to the final seconds, but Hayfield pulled it out. Hopefully, we can get a second chance at them in a couple weeks.”
In what is likely a precursor to the conference championship game in a couple weeks, the Panthers fell 5856 at home. The game, also a rematch of last year’s conference championship game, which the NRHEG girls also lost, looked like it was going the Panthers way, well, right up until the end.
The teams traded leads 14 times, with the Vikings holding the largest lead of the night, 24-18, with two minutes left in the first half.
A determined Erin Jacobson made a post move to cut the lead to four. With a smile, Quinn VanMaldeghem banked in a threepointer on the team's next possession. The lead was completely erased after Sidney Schultz grabbed a rebound, dribbled the court, and pulled up for three. The Panthers took a 27-25 edge at halftime.
Out of the break the Panthers jumped out to their largest lead of the night, 5 points, on a tough inthe-paint basket from VanMaldeghem, followed by an “and 1” transition bucket from Hallie Schultz.
The final 14 minutes can be described in two words: 1. Scrappy; 2. Playoff atmosphere.
“The girls played their hearts out.”
— NRHEG coach Onika Peterson
Numerous Panthers were on the floor diving for rebounds, forcing jump balls, and going hard to the hoop. The lead changed six times in the second half, three in the final minute.
A corner three from Camryn VanMaldeghem tied the game at 48 with four minutes to play. Free throws from Faith Nielsen and a basket from Sidney Schultz put the Panthers ahead by four two minutes later. A three-pointer and a hard layup put the Vikings back up 53-52 with 1:37 remaining.
Sidney Schultz answered to put the Panthers ahead by one. Trailing 56-54, Sidney Schultz drove and found an open Jacobson in the paint to tie it with 30 seconds remaining.
In their final possession, the Vikings dribbled the clock down before driving right, drawing the defense, and leaving a wide open player in the paint to sink the winning basket. The Panthers' record fell to 15-3 overall, 10-1 in the Gopher Conference.
Individually: Jacobson 17 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals; Sidney Schultz 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 4 assists; Quinn VanMaldeghem 7 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 assist; Hallie Schultz 7 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist; Nielsen 6 points; Camryn VanMaldeghem 5 points, 1 rebound.
The girls play travel to Blooming Prairie Friday and return home on Feb. 13 to face BEA.