The second semifinal over at Osseo on Saturday featured a Lake Conference rematch - the third time around version - between #3 seed Wayzata and #2 seed Minnetonka. The Skippers had won both regular season meetings and, of course, you know that old adage about how difficult it is to beat a team three times in a row in one season. Still, this is what stood in the Skippers way if they wanted to have a date with Hopkins on Wednesday night.
But it would be the Trojans who would have a slight upper-hand in the early going in this one despite trailing 5-2 at the 15:22 mark after a long jumper by Skipper standout senior Joanna Hedstrom from the left wing. Wayzata senior guard Kiana Nickel would tie the issue at 5-all with her "3" from the top of the key at the 14:37 mark and then it was fellow senior guard Katie Schulz knocking down a "3" of her own from the right wing at the 13:51 mark for an 8-5 Wayzata lead. Schulz would connect with a medium-range jumper at the 13:02 mark and then lanky senior forward Reilly Johnson was able to get inside for a score at the 10:44 mark for a 12-10 Trojan lead. Schulz extended the lead to 14-10 by connecting with a lay-up in transition at the 10:22 mark and then junior reserve guard McKenna Evans was able to get into the paint for a score with 8:12 left that had the Wayzata lead at 16-13.
It obviously took awhile for the Skippers to shake off the cobwebs in the first half but once they did, they took a decided advantage. It all started just under the 7:00 minute mark when Joanna Hedstrom knocked down one free throw after being fouled. On the next Minnetonka possession the Skippers used patience and excellent passing around the perimeter that had the Wayzata defense on its heels and it allowed willowy sophomore reserve Caroline Shelquist to begin reigning terror from behind the arc as she cooly drained a "3" from the right wing with 6:02 left that put Minnetonka back up at 17-16 and then it was Shelquist putting down another "3" from the left wing with 4:59 left for a 20-16 Skipper lead that had Wayzata Head Coach Mike Schumacher calling for a timeout to try and find a way to stop this new Minnetonka secret weapon.
Wayzata would briefly close the gap a bit afterward when Schulz made a strong move along the right baseline for a finish with 3:50 left but the Skippers had only begun their offensive. Senior guard Brittany Rice connected with a jumper from the left wing with 3:24 left and then junior reserve forward Mackenzie Dahl connected with a jumper off the glass with 2:29 left for a 25-18 Minnetonka lead. Then it was Shelquist again terrorizing the Trojans from behind the arc as she connected with a "3" from the left wing with 2:01 left. Then, with just one tick left on the clock before halftime, junior guard Anne Hamilton was able to knock down a short jumper along the right baseline that put the Skippers up 30-20 and likely began to plant the seeds of doubt into the Trojans' minds as well.
Minnetonka appeared to be ready to put considerable cushion between themselves and their opponent when Hamilton made good on another three-point attempt from the right wing at the 17:39 mark. But the Trojans weren't ready to go home just yet as they mounted a serious push to try and close the gap. After Schulz knocked down two free throws when she was fouled at the 17:28 mark, she then banged home a "3' from the right corner at the 16:46 mark that cut the Minnetonka advantage back into single digits at 33-25. Schulz also connected with a lay-up in transition on the ensuing Trojan possession that cut further into the Skipper lead as the senior was ready to leave everything she had out there on the floor for her team. Two more treys by Schulz - one from the right wing at the 14:27 mark and another one at the 11:55 mark plus an offensive rebound and putback by Reilly Johnson kept the deficit manageable at four and gave the Wayzata contingent reason for hope.
But just when it looked as if Wayzata might be able to get on even terms again with the Skippers, it was Shelquist who put a dagger into the heart of the Trojans with her shooting prowess from behind the arc. She had connected with one at the 13:18 mark in the midst of Wayzata's run and then on another attempt from the left wing at the 12:04 mark. Hannah Hedstrom, Joanna's younger sis, knocked down two freebies at the 11:41 mark and then it was Shelquist again draining a "3" from the left corner at the 10:51 mark as the Trojans simply could not contain her. Joanna Hedstrom made good on a drive and finish at the 10:26 mark and then it was Hamilton completing this 13-3 burst when she nailed a "3' from the left wing with 9:32 left that once and for all had extinguished Wayzata's slim hopes and had Schumacher again pleading for a timeout.
The Skippers would be brutally efficient coming down the home stretch while Wayzata seemed to go stone cold and couldn't get anything to go down. Joanna Hedstrom got inside for a score with 8:54 left and then it was Rice getting into the paint as well for a finish and drawing the foul as well and her freebie had Minnetonka up 55-36. Dahl had her Skipper teammates and parents/fans holding their breath momentarily when she was down on the floor with 7:51 left but everyone heaved a sigh of relief when she got up and off the floor under her own power. Reserve junior post Suzanne Molencamp connected with one jumper off the glass with 7:30 left and then put down a jumper from the right wing with 6:52 left that kept the 'Tonka advantage at that safe 20 point cushion. At the 4:00 minute mark, Minnetonka Head Coach Leah Dasovich had her team milk the clock the rest of the way that had the Skippers at the free throw line on numerous occasions that ensured final victory. Both teams had the reserves in the game with two minutes left and it was the Skippers cruising to a 65-46 victory that puts them into the Section 6AAAA Championship Game against Hopkins on Wednesday night.
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