•  Minnewaska also edges WCA, Friday, to improve to 4-1 in the WCC

The Minnewaska Area girls basketball team closed out 2023 and opened up 2024 with big-time wins.

The Lakers fell to West Fargo in the opening game of the Sauk Rapids Holiday Tourney, Dec. 29, 69-50, but Minnewaska Area came back to place third by beating Southwest Christian one day later, 47-41.

Minnewaska Area also won its first game of 2024, beating West Central Area in a key conference game Friday night at home, 53-47.

The Lakers led early 31-16, but fell behind late 46-42 before rallying for the win.  “We were in an offensive scoring drought at different points throughout the game and added some turnovers, which happens in basketball, but our team was able to stay encouraged and played relentless basketball before coming through with the win,” coach Sidney Barker said.  “It was a great team win!”

The Lakers, who improved to 7-4 overall and 4-1 in the WCC, are set to go on the road for a pair of games this week.  The Lakers were set to play at EV-Watkins, Tuesday (tomorrow), before playing at Melrose Area, Thursday, Jan. 11.

West Fargo 69, Waska 50

The Lakers lost their first game at the Sauk Rapids Holiday Tourney, Dec. 29, losing to a strong West Fargo team, 69-50.

The Lakers trailed 39-24 at halftime before keeping things close in the second half.

Minnewaska Area shot just 25 percent from the field (16-for-63) and only one player shot over 50 percent from the field.

Megan Thorfinnson and Sydney Dahl both had 12 points to lead the Lakers, while Lauryn Ankeny added nine points, four rebounds and two steals.

The Lakers were 4-of-14 from three-point range and 14-of-23 from the free-throw line, but Minnewaska Area also had just 20 total rebounds for the game.

Alia Randt and Olivia Danielson both added five points for Minnewaska, while Jayda Kolstoe had four points, four boards and two steals, Avery Fier had three points and two rebounds and Addy Kath had four rebounds.

Waska 47, SW Christian 41

The Lakers came back to win their second game of the Sauk Rapids Holiday Tourney, Dec. 30, beating Southwest Christian in a low-scoring game, 47-41.

The Lakers made over a third of their points from the line, going 16-for-21 from the charity strike.  Minnewaska also went 5-of-23 from three-point range, meaning they made just eight two-point field goals all game.

Megan Thorfinnson was the only Laker to score in double figures with 13 points and two rebounds, while Olivia Danielson added nine points and two boards and Addy Kath had seven points, going 7-for-8 from the line, along with three blocks and six rebounds.

The 47 points was only the second time in 10 games the Lakers have been held under 50 points this season.

Avery Fier was 2-of-3 on three-pointers while scoring six points and adding two rebounds, while Sydney Dahl also had six points and a game-high nine rebounds, Alia Randt had four points and five rebounds, Jayda Kolstoe had two points and Lauryn Ankeny pulled down four rebounds.

Waska 53, WCA 47

The Lakers pulled out an important 53-47 victory at home over WCA, Friday night.  The win kept the Lakers a half-game back of Sauk Centre in the battle for the WCC title.

Minnewaska Area led early, 31-16, before settling for a 34-25 halftime lead.

“We came out with lots of energy, especially defense, which lead to our offensive success,” coach Barker said.  “That is exactly what we all talked about in our pregame meeting, that we needed to come out strong and with energy from the get go.”

The Knights kept battling back and eventually forged into a 42-40 lead, mainly due to a stifling full-court defense.

Trailing 46-42 moments later, the Lakers made four-straight free-throws — two each by Alia Randt and Lauryn Ankeny — with about two minutes left in the game to tie up the game.  A driving basket by Addy Kath a little later put the Lakers up for good at 48-46.

“Those were some big free throws,” coach Barker said.  “Those two stepped up big time in that moment and knocked down the free throws that sealed the game and kept our momentum.  I’m very proud of them.”

Both teams missed a handful of shots over the next minute-plus before the Knights were at the line with one minute left and still trailing 48-46.

WCA missed the first, but made the second to cut the Waska lead to 48-47.

Megan Thorfinnson, who led the Lakers with 17 points, four rebounds and three assists, drove inside for a nice left-handed layup for a 50-47 lead and a few seconds later, the Lakers stole the ball and Randt was fouled.

She made the first on the one-and-one with 21 seconds left, but missed the second.  The rebound came down to Sydney Dahl, who put in an acrobatic shot with 21 seconds left for what would be the final points of the game.

Dahl ended the game with 14 points and five boards, while Randt had eight points and four rebounds.

Both teams shot about 37 percent from the field, but the Lakers were 10-of-15 from the line compared to 3-of-9 for WCA.

Lauryn Ankeny ended the game with five points and five rebonds, while Addy Kath had four points, six boards and two steals, Jayda Kolstoe had three points and Olivia Danielson added two points, five rebounds and a team-high three steals.

West Fargo 69, Waska 50

Waska (5-4) 24 26 — 50

West Fargo 39 30 — 69

WASKA stats:  16-63 FG (4-14 3pt); 14-23 FT; 5 assists; 3 blocks; 20 rebounds; 7 steals; 7 fouls; 9 turnovers . . . Scoring:  Megan Thorfinnson 12, Sydney Dahl 12, Lauryn Ankeny 9, Olivia Danielson 5, Alia Randt 5, Jayda Kolstoe 4, Avery Fier 3 . . . Rebounding:  Ankeny 4, Addy Kath 4, Kolstoe 4, Thorfinnson 2, Fier 2. . . Assists:  five with one each . . . Steals:  Ankeny 2, Kolstoe 2. . . Blocked shots:  Dahl 2

WFARGO:   Stats not available

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Waska 47, SW Chris 41

Minnewaska (6-4) — 47

SW MN Chris — 41

WASKA stats:  13-51 FG (5-23 3pt); 16-21 FT; 3 blocks; 31 rebounds; 3 steals; 15 fouls; 14 turnovers . . . Scoring:  Megan Thorfinnson 13, Olivia Danielson 9, Addy Kath 7, Sydney Dahl 6, Avery Fier 6, Alia Randt 4, Jayda Kolstoe 2 . . . Rebounding:  Dahl 9, Kath 6, Randt 5, Lauryn Ankeny 4, Thorfinnson 2, Danielson 2, Fier 2

. . . Assists:  UA . . . Steals:  three with one each . . . Blocks:  Kath 3

SWMC:   Stats not available

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at Waska 53, WCA 47

WCA 25 22 — 47

Waska (7-4) 34 19 — 53

WASKA stats:  19-52 FG (5-17 3pt); 10-15 FT; 7 assists; 36 rebounds; 8 steals; 11 fouls; 16 turnovers. . . Scoring:  Megan Thorfinnson 17, Sydney Dahl 14, Alia Randt 8, Lauryn Ankeny 5, Addy Kath 4, Jayda Kolstoe 3, Olivia Danielson 2 . . . Rebounding:  Kath 6, Ankeny 5, Dahl 5, Danielson 5, Thorfinnson 4, Randt 4, Avery Fier 3, Kolstoe 2

. . . Assists:  Thorfinnson 3 . . . Steals:  Danielson 3, Kath 2 

WCA stats:   Scoring:  Macy Grosz 12, Addison Staples 11 . . . Rebounding:  Staples 9. . . Other stats not available

Check out ore photos in our photo gallery!