Anoka-Ramsey vs St. Kate's (Scrimmage) 11-12-13

Was over at the Butler Center on the St. Kate’s campus on this Tuesday evening to catch the scrimmage between visiting Anoka-Ramsey and host St. Kate’s.  This would be a three-part scrimmage with the first two twenty minute scrimmages having normal clock and the third with running time.

 

1^st Scrimmage

 

The first scrimmage featured a barrage of three-point shots from both sides.  Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Nicole Schaub got things going with one of her patented pretty treys from the right wing at the 19:32 mark to get the Golden Rams out front early but that was quickly answered by St. Kate’s sophomore guard Gabby Zehrer’s three-point bomb from the right corner at the 18:36 mark.  Another “3” from the willowy forward from Park Center gave Anoka-Ramsey a 6-5 lead at the 16:42 mark but then it was Zehrer with back-to-back “3’s”  - one from the left wing area at the 15:52 mark and another from the opposite wing at the 14:55 mark that propelled the Wildcats into the lead at 11-5 and had Anoka-Ramsey reeling somewhat.  Schaub would connect with a running jumper at the 13:58 mark and then freshman Ashley Carter made good on a jumper at the 12:32 mark that cut the Wildcat lead to 14-10 but then St. Kate’s proceeded to go on a 7-2 run that was capped by a “3” from sophomore Shauna Horsch from the left wing area at the 11:24 mark that made it a 21-12 ballgame.  The Wildcats would push the lead to double-digits soon thereafter and were able to maintain that advantage through the rest of the first scrimmage.  A jumper off the glass by freshman Abby Torgerson out of Anoka and a steal by Zehrer and lay-up the other way helped increase the lead to 31-18 with 7:16 left.  Another trey from Schaub would narrow the deficit to ten with 6:52 left but the Golden Rams could get no closer.  The Wildcats played with a lot of energy and intensity on both sides of the ball and controlled things the rest of the way to score a 44-27 win.

 

2^nd Scrimmage

 

You can bet that Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt did not mince words after the first twenty minute stanza and whatever he said after the break seemed to work as the Golden Rams came out focused and determined in the second twenty minute scrimmage.  After falling behind 3-0, freshman Olivia Antilla out of Osseo tied the score at the 17:28 mark with a “3” from the left wing.  Schaub connected with a short jumper at the 16:28 mark and then it was sophomore guard Maria Loughlin draining one of her lefty three-point attempts; this one from the left wing at the 16:00 mark that got Anoka-Ramsey up 10-5.  The Wildcats would gradually claw their way back into the thick of things as lanky junior forward Sarah Manning snared a steal and went the other way for a lay-up at the 15:25 mark and then strong freshman LaShay Holt made good on a drive into the paint for a finish at the 14:02 mark that tied the issue at 11.  St. Kate’s would retake the lead on three occasions by a scant point near the midway point but then Schaub would help the Golden Rams retake the lead – and keep it for good in this one as she buried another “3” - this one from the right wing – at the 9:08 mark for a 23-20 score.  Antilla would connect with a jumper along the right baseline with 7:54 left and then freshman Ashley Carter muscled her way inside for an offensive rebound and putback with 5:46 left that increased the Golden Ram lead to 27-20.  Then it was the crafty Loughlin playing a thief in the night with her steal and lay-up the other way with 5:31 left for a 29-20 lead.  The Golden Rams kept the lead at nine after Carter scored inside on a nifty give-and-go with 4:46 left to make it 31-22.  St. Kate’s would make a run at the Golden Rams late, though.  A “3” by Zehrer from the right top area with 4:28 left along with a trey from Holt from the right wing with 3:47 left cut the lead to four at 32-28 and a Zehrer rebound of her own miss for a putback with 2:37 left sliced Anoka-Ramsey’s lead to 32-30 but the ‘Cats never could get any closer than that.  A score down low by sophomore Nicole Howard with 1:27 left and a score off of an inbounds pass by Antilla sealed the deal for the Golden Rams as they claimed the second scrimmage by a count of 38-32.

 

 

3^rd Scrimmage

 

As mentioned earlier, the third scrimmage featured running time to help things move along quickly and, at the same time, kept the scoring down somewhat.  It also gave St. Kate’s Head Coach Sean Pinkerton a chance to use his bench players to see what they could do in a game situation as well.  Antilla would get the Golden Rams out to a 3-0 lead with her trey from the right wing area at the 19:47 mark but freshman post Mari Lee would snare an offensive rebound for a putback on the Wildcats ensuing possession to get them on the board.  The ‘Cats would then embark on a 6-0 push capped by a score inside by Holt before Anoka-Ramsey could counter with scores from Antilla at both the 15:48 and 14:27 marks to keep the Golden Rams within striking distance.  Mari Lee, however, took it upon herself to not let the Golden Rams inch closer as she made a foray into the paint for a score with 13:14 left and added a freebie from the charity stripe after being fouled with 12:17 left.  Anoka-Ramsey threatened again when freshman guard Hannah Norton knocked down a “3” from the left corner with 7:52 left that cut the Wildcat lead down to 14-12 but then St. Kate’s countered when freshman reserve Erin FitzGerald connected with a “3” of her own from the left top area to push the Wildcat lead back to five at 17-12 with 6:23 left.  A freebie from junior Amanda Padilla was icing on the cake for the Wildcats in this one as they took the nightcap by a count of 18-13.