The Minnewaska Area girls basketball team got the season underway with a pair of losses to state-ranked teams last week.  

The Lakers, who were 16-10 a season ago, opened up the schedule with a 68-47 non-conference loss to Lac qui Parle Valley last Tuesday night at home.  Two nights later, the Lakers dropped a 72-58 decision to BOLD, one of the favorites in the WCC this season.

The Lakers have two more tough games coming up this week as Minnewaska Area is set to play at Montevideo, Tuesday (tomorrow) and host Sauk Centre, Thursday.  

Montevideo won the section title last year and returns most of its players, while SC is a perennial WCC contender.

“It’s definitely a tough schedule to lead us off, but those are the best games to be part of and see what we need to do to continue to get better to be the best team we can be at the end of the season,” coach Sidney Schiffler said.

LQP 68, Minnewaska 47

The Lakers opened up the 2022-23 schedule with a 68-47 home loss to Lac qui Parle Valley last Tuesday night.

LQP senior guard Taylor Shelstad had 24 points and three steals to lead all players, while her teammate, senior Camryn Lee, added 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.

The Lakers, who shot 26 percent from the field (15-for-56), including 7-of-28 from 3-point range, fell behind early 18-9 and 25-12, but pulled to within 29-22 later in the first half after a pair of three-pointers from Leslie Murken.

The Eagles scored the final eight points of the first half to go into intermission with a 37-22 lead, but the Lakers stayed close through the early minutes of the second half.

A three-pointer by Megan Thorfinnson kept the Lakers close at 39-25 and another three-pointer by Murken cut the deficit to 42-28.  Moments later, Thorfinnson hit another basket to keep Minnewaska within 44-30, but the Eagles would steadily increase their lead through the remainder of the game before ending with the 68-47 win.

Thorfinnson had 20 points, three rebounds and three assists to lead the Lakers, while Murken was 4-of-7 from three-point range on the way to 14 points and Olivia Bleick added eight points.

Also scoring for the Lakers, coached by Sidney Schiffler, were Sydney Dahl with three points and three rebounds while battling foul trouble, and Brooke Kolstoe with two points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

BOLD 72, Waska 58

The Lakers fell behind 41-26 by halftime before outscoring the visitors 32-31 in the second half.  BOLD, which improved to 4-0 overall, had five players score in double figures, including Lainey Baulick with 24 points and Mari Ryberg with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Lakers shot 36 percent from the field, but they were 10-of-27 from three-point range (37 percent) to help keep them in the game.

Megan Thorfinnson had 16 points, three rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Lakers, while Sydney Dahl added 16 points and four rebounds and Brooke Kolstoe chipped in with seven points and a team-high 12 boards.

“On Thursday, we saw the energy that this team is capable of playing with,” coach Schiffler said.  “Sydney (Dahl) had a really nice game and took the ball to the hoop strong, which is what we need from her.  Megan (Thorfinnson) shot very well and Brooke (Kolstoe) crashed hard for 12 rebounds.

“Our movement with the ball and without the ball also was more visible on Thursday compared to Tuesday’s game.”

The Lakers had seven players hit the scoring column as Olivia Bleick and Avery Fier each scored six points on a pair of three-pointers with Fier also pulling down four rebounds and dishing out two assists, Jenna Drewes had three points and Jayda Kolstoe also had three points along with three rebounds.

“We played better in our second game, but still have things we need to work on,” coach Schiffler said.  “Thankfully, we have plenty of time to work on our game and get better.”

LQP 68, Minnewaska 47

LQP Valley 37 31 — 68

Minnewaska (0-1) 22 25 — 47

WASKA stats:  15-56 FG (7-28 3pt); 10-15 FT; 4 assists; 23 rebounds; 17 fouls . . . Scoring:  Megan Thorfinnson 20, Leslie Murken 14, Olivia Bleick 8, Sydney Dahl 3, Brooke Kolstoe 2 . . . Rebounding:  Kolstoe 5, Avery Fier 5, Jayda Kolstoe 4, Dahl 3, Thorfinnson 3 . . . Assists:  Thorfinnson 3 . . . Steals:  Lauryn Ankeny 3 . . . Blocks:  B. Kolstoe 3

LQP stats:  Scoring:   Taylor Shelstad 24, Rylee Lund 16, Isabel Gerdes 14, Camryn Lee 12 . . . Rebounding:  Lee 10

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BOLD 72, at Minnewaska Area Lakers 58

BOLD (4-0) 41 31 — 72

Minnewaska (0-2) 26 32 — 58

WASKA stats: 21-57 FG (10-27 3pt); 6-9 FT; 7 assists; 29 rebounds; 6 fouls  . . . Scoring:  Megan Thorfinnson 17, Sydney Dahl 16, Brooke Kolstoe 7, Avery Fier 6, Olivia Bleick 6, Jayda Kolstoe 3, Jenna Drewes 3 . . . Rebounding:  B. Kolstoe 12, Fier 5, Dahl 4, Thorfinnson 3, J. Kolstoe 3 

Assists:  Fier 2, five others with 1 each . . . Steals:  four with 1 each . Blocks:  Thorfinnson 4, Dahl 2, B. Kolstoe 2

BOLD stats:  Scoring:   Lainey Braulick 24, Mari Ryberg 12, Layla Pfarr 12, Kenzie Visser 10, Anna Moorse 10 . . . Reb:  Ryberg 10

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