Minnewaska girls move up to third in Section 3AA rankings

The Minnewaska Area girls basketball team is one of the hottest teams in the area after winning three games last week to give the team a four-game winning streak and seven wins in the last 10 games.

Over the last week, the Lakers beat Redwood Valley (56-49), MACCRAY (59-38) and Morris Area-CA (71-42) to lift their record to 9-12 overall and 4-6 in the conference.

Minnewaska Area also moved into third place in its half of the Section 3AA seedings, giving the Lakers a great chance to host a first-round playoff game, Saturday, Feb. 25.

The Lakers have only four regular-season games left, including a game at home against Osakis, Monday (today) and continuing with games at Melrose Area, Tuesday (tomorrow), at West Central Area, Thursday, and at Albany, Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Minnewaska 56, Redwood 49

The Lakers won their seventh game in their last 12 tries during a 56-49 home win over Redwood Valley last Saturday afternoon.

Three players scored in double figures for the Lakers, including Jayda Kolstoe, who led the way with 13 points, two assists and two rebounds.

Minnewaska led 32-23 at halftime before being outscored 26-24 in the second half.

Brooke Kolstoe added 11 points and seven boards for the Lakers, while Sydney Dahl lit up the scoresheet with 10 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.

Minnewaska Area shot 39 percent from the field (22-for-56), including 8-of-21 from three-point range.  The only negative was at the free-throw line where the Lakers were just 4-of-12.

Megan Thorfinnson continued her strong play this winter with nine points, going 3-for-6 on three-pointers, along with two assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots, while Avery Fier was 2-of-2 from long range on the way to seven points and three steals.

Also scoring for the Lakers, who scored more than 50 points for only the sixth time this season (4-2 record in those games), were Lauryn Ankeny with three points and three rebounds and Leslie Murken with three points and three assists. 

Minnewaska 59, MACCRAY 38

The Lakers held an opponent to under 40 points for the third time this season during a 59-38 victory at home over MACCRAY last Tuesday night.

The score was 3-3 through the first five minutes of the game before the Lakers’ offense came alive thanks to full-court defensive pressure.

Two-straight baskets by Lauryn Ankeny, a 3-pointer by Avery Fier and six points by Jayda Kolstoe in less than a minute put the Lakers on top 17-4 and a layup by Brooke Kolstoe moments later gave Minnewaska Area a 19-4 lead and completed a 16-1 run by the Lakers in about three minutes.

When Brooke Kolstoe, Sydney Dahl and Alia Randt made baskets late in the first half, the Lakers’ lead was at 23 points (34-11) before Minnewaska settled for a 36-15 halftime advantage.

In the second half, both teams scored 23 points as Minnewaska Area was able to get everyone some playing time as 10 Lakers hit the scoring column.

For the game, the Lakers had 16 steals and 27 deflections.  “Our full court pressure has been key for us; it gets our energy going and our offense,” coach Sidney Schiffler said.

Jayda Kolstoe ended the game with 11 points, two assist and two steals, while Megan Thorfinnson had 10 points, hitting 3-of-5 three-pointers, along with four rebounds, and Brooke Kolstoe added 10 points, two assists, two boards, three steals and three blocked shots.

The Lakers shot 37 percent from the field (23-for-62), including 8-of-20 from long range.

Fier ended the game with eight points for the Lakers, while Sydney Dal had six points, eight rebounds, two assists and two steals, Lauryn Ankeny had four points, two assists, six rebounds and two steals, Alia Randt had three points, two assists, four boards and two steals, Jenna Drewes also had three points, and Kendall Danielson and Leslie Murken both had two points.  

Waska 71, Morris-CA 42

The Lakers scored 43 first-half points on the way to a 71-42 victory over Morris Area-CA, Friday night at home.  It was the fourth-straight win for the suddenly-hot Lakers.

Ten players hit the scoring column for Minnewaska Area, including Megan Thorfinnson with 14 points, four assists, two rebounds and three steals, and Sydney Dahl with 11 points, two assists, six boards, three steals and two blocked shots.

Also scoring in double figures were Jayda Kolstoe with 10 points and three rebounds and Leslie Murken with 10 points, two boards and two steals.

The Lakers shot only 35 percent from the field (26-for-74), but Minnewaska Area was 9-of-23 from three-point range and also recorded 21 steals, led by Lauryn Ankeny’s five thefts.

The previous high point total for the Lakers this season had been 60 during a 60-54 win over WCA.  And, the 43 points scored in the first half is more than the Lakers scored in a complete game six times this season.

Ankeny ended the game with a full statsheet of eight points, three assists, three rebounds and five steals, while Jayda Kolstoe continued her great play this year with seven points, two rebounds and two steals.

Also scoring for the Lakers were Addy Kath, Jenna Drewes and Avery Fier with three points each, while Alia Randt had two points, two rebounds and three steals.

at Waska 56, Redwood 49

Redwood 23 26 — 49

Minnewaska (7-12) 32 24 — 56

WASKA stats:  22-56 FG (8-21 3pt); 4-12 FT; 11 assists; 26 rebounds; 10 steals; 14 fouls; 16 turnovers . . . Scoring:  Jayda Kolstoe 13, Brooke Kolstoe 11, Sydney Dahl 10, Megan Thorfinnson 9, Avery Fier 7, Lauryn Ankeny 3, Leslie Murken 3 . . . Rebounding:  Dahl 9, B. Kolstoe 7, Ankeny 3, Thorfinnson 3, J. Kolstoe 2 . . . Assists:  Murken 3, J. Kolstoe 2, Thorfinnson 2 . . . Steals:  Fier 3, Thorfinnson 2 . . . Blocks:  Dahl 5, Thorfinnson 2

RED:   Stats not available

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at Waska 59, MAC 38

MACCRAY (13-9) 15 23 — 38

Minnewaska (8-12) 36 23 — 59

WASKA stats:  23-62 FG (8-20 3pt); 5-9 FT; 12 assists; 31 rebounds; 16 steals; 19 fouls; 14 turnovers . . . Scoring: Jayda Kolstoe 11, Megan Thorfinnson 10, Brooke Kolstoe 10, Avery Fier 8, Sydney Dahl 6, Lauryn Ankeny 4, Alia Randt 3, Jenna Drewes 3, Kendall Danielson 2, Leslie Murken 2 . . . Rebounding:  Dahl 8, Ankeny 6, Randt 4, Thorfinnson 4, Danielson 2, B. Kolstoe 2, Olivia Bleick 2  . . . Assists:  Dahl 2, B. Kolstoe 2, Ankeny 2, Randt 2 . . . Steals:  B. Kolstoe 3, J. Kolstoe 2, Dahl 2, Ankeny 2, Randt 2, Mikalyn Andreas 2 . . . Blocks:  B. Kolstoe 3

MAC:   Scoring:  Emma Thein 15, Sydney Thein 14, Annie Bourne 4 . 

Reb:  E. Thein 12 . . Other stats NA

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at Waska 71, Morris-CA 42

Morris Area 24 18 — 42

Minnewaska (9-12) 43 28 — 71

WASKA:  26-74 FG (9-23 3pt); 10-17 FT; 14 assists; 27 rebounds; 21 steals; 21 fouls; 17 turnovers . . . Scoring:  Megan Thorfinnson 14, Sydney Dahl 11, Brooke Kolstoe 10, Leslie Murken 10, Lauryn Ankeny 8, Jayda Kolstoe 7, Addy Kath 3, Jenna Drewes 3, Avery Fier 3, Alia Randt 2 . . . Reb:  Dahl 6, B. Kolstoe 3, Ankeny 3, Kath 3, Randt 2, Fier 2, Thorfinnson 2, Murken 2, J. Kolstoe 2  . . . Assists:  Thorfinnson 4, Ankeny 3, Olivia Bleick 2, Dahl 2. . . Steals:  Ankeny 5, Randt 3, Dahl 3, Thorfinnson 3, Murken 2, J. Kolstoe 2, Kath 2 . . . Blocks:  Dahl 2

MORRIS:   Stats not available

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