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RETURNING LETTER WINNERS - Front from left: Sidney Schultz, Erin Jacobson, Hallie Schultz. Back row: Bree Ihrke, Sophie Stork, Rhys Martin.
Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
Playing against Gopher Conference power house teams like Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Medford, and Faribault Bethlehem Academy, the Panther’s ‘never give up’ attitude will be tested.
Four extra teams are joining the conference this year, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Kenyon Wanamingo, Triton, and Randolph. With the addition, the standings may look a little different at the end of the season.
“With four extra teams joining the Gopher Conference, it will be exciting to see where we finish at the end of the season,” said ninth year returning coach Onika Peterson.
Expectations
“I am excited,” Coach Peterson says. “This group of girls have a “never give up” attitude, and love to compete. They want to be successful and are going to work hard for every single point.”
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LAST GAME — Senior Sophie Stork and NRHEG Head Coach Onika Peterson. Right, activities director Dan Stork hugs his daughter, Sophie, after awarding the team medals. Below, Stork goes to the basket against LCWM at the Taylor Center in the Panther's 70-64 loss, Monday, March 7, 2022.
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
Nothing gold can stay. The NRHEG girls’ basketball season came to an end Monday night in Mankato, falling to Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial, 70-64.
If LCWM didn’t start seven-for-seven from the three-point line. If Senior Sophie Stork had made two more threes. If the Panthers had rebounded better. If any of these things had happened, the story from Monday night might have been different.
The Knights scored the first nine points of the game before Stork ended the run with a layup in traffic.
Stork scored 10 of her team's first 16 points, but got in foul trouble early, picking up three first half fouls. The Panthers only had six first half fouls, but they were all on Stork and Junior Erin Jacobson. Foul trouble played a big part as Stork sat for the last minutes of the first half and had to play safe the rest of the way.
It wasn’t until the 3:19 mark in the second half before a Panther other than Stork or Jacobson picked up a foul. Jacobson eventually fouled out and Stork finished the game with four fouls.
After the hot start by the Knights, which saw them lead by as much as 15, the Panthers clawed back to go into halftime down 40-30.
In other games this season, the Panthers have come out flat in the first half and turned it on halftime.
Monday night, the girls really didn’t come out flat in the first half. The Knights, arguably, played a near perfect first half.
The second half start by the Panthers showed why they deserved to be in this game.
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CELEBRATION - The NRHEG Girls Basketball team celebrates after defeating WEM 52-51 during the second round of the 2022 Sub-Section 2 playoffs.
DOMINANT - The Panthers Sidney Schultz scores a basket against WEM Thursday night, March 3 at Mankato East high school. She finished as the second leading scorer with 21 points.
LAST GAME? - Senior Sophie Stork played like it might be her last game, leading the Panthers in scoring with 23 points in the one point victory over WEM.
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
For the first time in a long time, the NRHEG Girls Basketball team is returning to play at MSU Mankato Monday night at 7:45 p.m. against Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial after an incredible 52-51 victory over Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Thursday night at Mankato East high school.
It’s always tough when the girls play WEM. Thursday night's game was no different.
With five seconds to go, down by two points, the Buccaneers appeared to have a wide open layup attempt when Senior Sophie Stork came from behind to stop the attempt, fouling out in the process.
After sinking the first free throw, the Buccaneers, as they did all night, recovered the offensive rebound and forcing a jump ball, with the possession arrow allowing them to retain possession.
With four seconds left, and the entire crowd on its feet, Faith Nielsen made the game clinching “tip”, sending the ball down the court as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
How did the Panthers get here?
It’s hard to beat anybody twice. The Buccaneers defeated the shorthanded Panthers the first time they played, but lost handily to them in a division clinching game a week ago Friday.
At no point in the first half did it appear like any team was going to run away with it.
The Panthers led by as much as seven points, but were answered by nine Buccaneer points midway through the first half, making the score 18-16 in favor of WEM.
Playing as if it might be her last game, Stork ended the Buccaneer run, driving the length of court to tie the game.
The Bucs scored five points on their next three possessions which included six offensive rebounds.
Stork answered again, cutting the lead to three after another tough drive to the basket.
A three pointer from Preslie Nielsen with 55 seconds left sent the game to halftime tied 23-23.