The nightcap up at Anoka-Ramsey on this Saturday night featured Fergus Falls (MSCTC) against Minnesota West located in Worthington. Both programs have seemingly been on the cusp of establishing themselves as legitimate threats to the Anoka-Ramsey dynasty the last few seasons and, in fact, Minnesota West handily defeated the Golden Rams in Worthington back in mid-February so this game would decide who would get that golden opportunity to face Anoka-Ramsey in the Region 13A Championship Game on Sunday.
It would be the Fergus Falls Spartans who would get the good start in this one. Freshman Maria Johnson nailed a "3" at the 19:39 mark and they upped that lead to 7-2 by the 17:42 mark when sophomore forward Rhonda Christenson muscled her way into the paint for a score. But right back came the Blue Jays as sophomore Brittany Hulstein got into the paint for a score at the 17:06 mark and then southpaw freshman Tiffany Gehl let loose with a three-point bomb from the right wing at the 16:36 mark that tied things up at 7-all. Sensing possible trouble, Fergus Falls Head Coach Brenda Johnson called a timeout to calm her team down and it at least allowed her team to stay right in the thick of things. After the Blue Jays went up 13-9 (still LOVE that particular score as that's what my Bruins beat 'SC by back in 06; brings back great memories!) on a score inside by strong sophomore forward Katey Granstra, the Spartans came right back Johnson nailed a "3" from the top of the key at the 13:11 mark and then sophomore Aria Walstad out who hails from Hancock knocked down a "3' from the left corner at the 11:41 mark that kept the deficit at a scant two points at 17-15.
A jumper in the lane by Christenson tied things up at 19 a piece with just under ten minutes left in the first half but it was here that the Blue Jays made a move to establish themselves. Gehl uncorked another "3" from the left corner with 9:40 left and then it was Hulstein - first with a steal and lay-up the other way at the 9:32 mark and then with a "3" from the left wing with 8:00 left. Then lanky freshman Lindsey Drooger connected with a jumper just inside the arc from the left wing area with 7:34 left and then a score by Hulstein in the paint with 6:47 left completed this 12-3 burst and had Brenda Johnson burning another timeout to try and halt this surge. Her timing was very good as the Spartans then embarked 10-1 run that had them knotted back up with the Blue Jays at 32-all with just 1:33 left. Fergus Falls took a brief 34-32 lead with :38 left when Johnson connected with a short jumper but a "3" from the top of the key by freshman guard Maria Eichenberger allowed the Blue Jays to stave off complete disaster and take a one point 35-34 lead into the locker room at the half. But to the Spartans credit, they drastically changed the complexion of this game when things could have gone completely kablooey on them.
Minnesota West threatened to put Fergus Falls into a serious hole again once the second half got underway. Drooger got inside for a score at the 19:45 mark and then Hulstein used her strong frame to get into the paint and make a sweet reverse shot underneath the basket at the 18:46 mark. A freebie at the charity stripe by Hulstein at the 18:13 mark and then a drive and finish by the sophomore from Fulda that drew a foul as well and allowed her to cap it off with an obligatory free throw upped the Blue Jay lead to nine at 43-34 and forced Brenda Johnson to use a timeout at the 17:55 mark to again get her team soothed and calmed down. But it would take a while as the Blue Jays continued their assault. Granstra made a drive and finish and drew the foul as well that got her to the charity stripe for a freebie that made it a 46-34 game. Another score by Granstra in the paint at the 16:55 mark and a drive and finish by Eichenberger at the 16:30 mark made it a 50-38 game for Minnesota West. Slowly, though, the Spartans whittled away and gradually made inroads on the Blue Jay cushion. Trailing 52-41 after another drive and finish by Eichenberger at the 13:09 mark (Yep - great memories with those numbers!) Christenson connected with a short jumper at the 12:44 mark and then Johnson got into the paint for a score at the 12:15 mark. Christenson connected on another short jumper with 11:35 left and then it was Johnson getting into the lane again for a jumper off the glass at the 10:09 mark and a lay-up by Johnson with 9:42 left suddenly cut the Blue Jay lead down to only 56-51 and once again had the Minnesota West contingent nervous.
But coming down the stretch, the Spartans never could seem to get the critical shots to fall and Minnesota West used their size and height to gain a key advantage on the boards that limited Fergus Falls' chances and also gave the Blue Jays an opportunity to capitalize. Holding a somewhat precarious 60-53 lead with 6:19 left, Granstra got into the paint for a score with 5:51 left and again with 4:39 left that upped the lead to nine at 64-55. Walstad was able to snare an offensive rebound for the Spartans for a putback with 4:09 left that cut the Blue Jay lead to seven but they never could draw any closer. Free throws by Drooger and yet another score in the paint by Granstra with 1:48 left made it a 70-59 game and two late "3's" by Johnson would not be enough as Minnesota West prevailed by a final score of 74-65. Maybe not as comfortable a win as they would have initially had hoped for but still a "W" nonetheless and, more importantly, a date with Anoka-Ramsey in Sunday's Region 13A Championship Game with a berth in the NJCAA Division III National Tournament on the line.
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