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By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The NRHEG Panthers finally met their biggest nemesis of the season.
It was themselves.
The Panthers picked a bad time for perhaps their poorest performance of the season Friday night in a 56-39 loss to Sauk Centre in the semifinals of the state girls’ basketball tournament at Target Center.
The loss brought an end to the Panthers’ 31-game winning streak and dropped them into the third-place game Saturday at noon at Concordia College in St. Paul.
So what went wrong for the Panthers?
“What went wrong was when they went to a triangle-and-two (defense) and went man-to-man on Carlie and Jade,” said coach John Schultz. “Others had trouble hitting their shots. Sauk Centre just kept on scoring. We got what we wanted for shots. They just wouldn’t fall.”
That’s for sure.
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NRHEG stuns Braham in state quarterfinals
TWO OF THE FINEST — Carlie Wagner of NRHEG (3) drives to the basket against Rebekah Dahlman of Braham (left) during the quarterfinals of the state girls' basketball tournament at Target Center in Minneapolis Wednesday night. Wagner scored a career-high 43 points as the Panthers won 75-45. (Star Eagle photos by Chris Schlaak)
ON TO THE SEMIFINALS — NRHEG girls' basketball players display their jubilation near the end of Wednesday night's state tournament victory over defending state champion Braham at Target Center in Minneapolis. The Panthers' next game is Friday at 6 p.m. at Target Center.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
Eleven busloads of NRHEG girls’ basketball fans went home happy from Minneapolis Wednesday night.
The Panthers’ dream season continued with a stunning 75-45 victory over defending Class AA state champion Braham in the quarterfinals of the state tournament at Target Center.
The Panthers, now 31-0, advanced to the semifinals against Sauk Centre Friday at 6 p.m. at Target Center. If they win, they’ll play for the state championship Saturday at 2 p.m. at Target Center. A Friday night loss would put the Panthers in the third-place game Saturday at noon at Concordia College. Braham finished 29-2.
Most of the talk surrounding the Panthers’ first-round game centered on Braham junior Rebekah Dahlman, who during the game became the state’s all-time leading scorer in girls’ basketball.
By the end of the night, she was congratulating Panther sophomore Carlie Wagner, who lit it up for a career-high 43 points, four shy of the single-game state tournament record.
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Panthers claim section title, take 30-0 record to state tournament
WE’RE GOING TO STATE! — Coaches John Schultz, left, Grant Berg, the Panthers and their fans exalt as the clock winds down in the Section 2AA championship at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter last Friday. (Star Eagle photos by Chris Schlaak)
WHEELING AND DEALING — Jade Schultz passes off to Anna Schlaak during the first half of the Section 2AA championship game last Friday.
DRIVING — Carlie Wagner drives to the basket during the Section 2AA championship game at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter last Friday.
POINTS IN THE PAINT — Katie Cole (14) scores a basket during the second half of the Section 2AA championship game last Friday.
By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
State tournament.
Almost every high school athlete dreams about it. Few get there.
The 2011-12 NRHEG girls’ basketball team is among the few.
The Panthers reached their season-long and, for some, almost lifetime-long goal by defeating St. Peter 59-54 for the Section 2AA championship in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter last Friday.
It kept the Panthers undefeated at 30-0 and put them in the state tournament against defending state champion Braham (29-1) Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Target Center in Minneapolis.
NRHEG coach John Schultz said getting to state, “means everything” for the Panthers.