This Friday night found me in a familiar spot – in Coon
Rapids at Anoka-Ramsey as they prepared to take on visiting Bismarck
State. The Mystics were coming in with a
so-so 5-4 record but likely were better than what their record was and you knew
Anoka-Ramsey Head Coach David DeWitt was not going to allow his team to take
Bismarck State lightly.
Unlike some of the previous Anoka-Ramsey games that I’ve
covered recently, it was the Golden Rams who got off to a great start this time
around. Strong sophomore post Olivia Antilla
and freshman forward Ashley Carter propelled Anoka-Ramsey to an early 9-3 lead
by the 17:35 mark that had Mystics Head Coach Jason Harris calling a timeout to
try and figure things out. Bismarck
State would edge closer thanks to a score in the paint by freshman Courtney
Goetz at the 16:45 mark and a “3” from sophomore ReeAnn Mehus from the left
wing area at the 15:47 mark that closed the gap to a 12-8 count.
But then Anoka-Ramsey proceeded to go on a 30-6 tear over
the next eleven minutes that SHOULD have put the Mystics away for good. Trailing by four touchdowns at 42-14 with 4:26, Bismarck State broke out its secret
weapon in freshman Kaitlyn Olson who gave the crowd on hand quite a display of
three-point shooting. Her first trey came
from the left wing with 2:57 left. The
second came from the right wing a mere sixteen seconds later and then with 1:29
left Olson struck again; this one from the right corner that, coupled with a
score in the paint by freshman guard Zaida Henry with :34.9 left before
halftime, at least whittled the deficit to less than twenty as the Golden Rams
took a 46-28 lead into the locker room.
The Golden Rams looked to run away with things again
early on in the second half as willowy sophomore forward Nicole Schaub nailed a
“3” from the left top at the 18:53 mark which was followed by a tough
turnaround jumper by Carter a minute later.
Antilla would snare an offensive rebound for a putback at the 17:31 mark
for a seemingly “safe” 53-28 lead.
Anoka-Ramsey would maintain this margin over the next couple of minutes
before the Mystics would make their next surge.
A “3” from Olson from the left corner at the 15:27 mark and then a drive
and finish by Goetz once again got Bismarck State to within twenty trailing 56-37. But the green-clad Mystics were just getting
started. Goetz would drill a “3” from
the right wing area at the 11:59 mark then sophomore forward Allison Slaubaugh
would make a foray into the paint for a score with 10:50 left. A Slaubaugh free throw with 10:10 left along
with a score in the paint by Goetz with 8:53 left now had Anoka-Ramsey’s lead
down to 64-49.
Bismarck State would keep pecking away; trying to draw
even closer down the stretch. Freshman
guard Emily Kautzman connected with a lay-up in transition with 7:25 left. Scores by Goetz with 6:22 and 5:58 left along
with a score in the paint by Slaubaugh with 5:18 left had Anoka-Ramsey’s lead
cut to 70-57. A three by Olson from the
left top with 4:35 left found nothing but net and two freebies by Slaubaugh
with 4:07 left finally had the deficit at ten with a 72-62 score. But the Mystics could draw no closer. In these situations when Anoka-Ramsey gets
challenged in the stretch. DeWitt is
fortunate to have the services of sophomore guard Maria Loughlin to run the
show (and offense) and make good decisions with the rock to protect the lead
and get her teammates involved as well.
A score in the paint by Antilla with 3:49 left along with two charity
stripe shots by the crafty Loughlin with 2:20 left enabled the Golden Rams to
maintain that 10-12-point cushion to keep things safe. Another freebie by Schaub with 1:27 left
after she was fouled in a transition attempt along with a lay-up from
ever-improving freshman guard Mattie Racek with :35 left sealed the deal as
Anoka-Ramsey booked an 80-68 home win.
DeWitt, while happy with the victory, emphasized his team’s
need to play a full forty minutes. “We
played great for the first seventeen minutes but we’ve GOT to maintain that” he
remarked candidly afterward. I also
think that DeWitt is still looking for the squad to take that next step on the defensive
side as well; something that he’s been looking for since, well….September
anyway. But I think one thing you can
count on as things move into the first of the year and the Golden Rams are
fully entrenched in MCC play, they will find a way to notch up the intensity on
both sides of the ball and also find a way to peak at the right time when
February rolls around.
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