The Minnewaska Area girls basketball team suffered its first two losses of the season last week against state-ranked foes.  The Lakers, who fell to 4-2 overall and 1-1 in the conference, dropped a 54-47 decision at NLS last Tuesday night and also fell 58-48 at Sauk Centre, Friday.

The Wildcats were ranked fourth in the latest state Class AA poll and Sauk Centre was ranked fifth, while the Lakers fell one notch to No. 9 in the state rankings.

The Lakers will try to get back on he winning track this week with a home game against Paynesville, Tuesday (tomorrow) and a game at Melrose Area, Thursday. 

•  This year’s varsity roster includes seniors Addy Kath, Lauren Stryhn, Sydney Dahl, Megan Thorfinnson and Amber Peabody; juniors Alia Randt, Lauryn Ankeny, Olivia Danielson, Aubrey Stark, Carly Jergenson, Kendall Danielson, Phemie Oeltjen and Jayda Kolstoe; sophomores Norah VanZee, Eliana Marthaler, Haillie Schulz and Claira Frey; and ninth-grader Berlynn Green.

NLS 54, Minnewaska 47

The Minnewaska Area girls basketball team suffered its first loss with a 54-47 defeat at NLS last Tuesday night.  The game was a rematch of the sub-section finals last year when the Wildcats beat the Lakers in a close game, 52-42

This time, the Lakers took a 27-26 halftime lead before the Wildcats rallied for the win.

It was a great battle between two of the best teams in the area as well as in the state and the two teams could meet up again in the Section 3AA Girls Basketball Tournament.

The Lakers struggled from the field, shooting just 26 percent (17-for-64).  Minnewaska Area was 7-of-19 on three-pointers (36 percent), but only 22 percent (10-of-45) on two-point field goal attempts and 6-of-13 from the line.

NLS meanwhile, shot 28 percent from the field (19-of-66), including just 3-of-15 from three-point range.  The Wildcats were 11-of-15 from the free-throw line, which was one of the keys to the win by NLS along with a 19-17 turnover edge.

Megan Thorfinnson paced the Lakers with 14 points, four rebounds and two steals.  She was 4-of-7 from long range.

Sydney Dahl added 12 points, two assists and eight rebounds, while Olivia Danielson had 11 points, five boards and two steals.

Minnewaska Area had just five players hit the scoring column and only three scored a two-point field goal during the game.

Addy Kath added six points and two rebounds for the Lakers, while Jayda Kolstoe had four points and two steals, Alia Randt had two assists and eight boards and Lauryn Ankeny ended the game with three rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots.

Ava Carlson led the Wildcats with 19 points and 11 rebounds, while Ayla Caskey added 13 points and six boards.

Don’t be surprised if the same two teams meet again in this year’s Section 3AA semifinals.

Sauk Cen 58, Waska 48

Sauk Centre held the Lakers to 11 first-half points on the way to a 58-48 victory, Friday night, in a battle between two of the top 10 Class AA teams in the state.

The Lakers did come back to outscore the Mainstreeters 37-31 in the second half, but it was too little, too late for Minnewaska Area.

Sydney Dahl had 20 points and nine rebounds to lead the Lakers, but Minnewaska Area shot just 26 percent from the field (18-for-68) for the second-straight game and was also 1-of-11 from three-point range.

The Mainstreeters didn’t shoot much better at 30 percent, but Sauk Centre held a 38-32 rebounding edge and also made 18 free-throws compared to 11 for the Lakers.  That was enough to hold off the rally bid by Minnewaska.

Only six Lakers hit the scoring column as Olivia Danielson added seven points and five rebounds, Megan Thorfinnson had seven points, two assists, two boards and five steals, Addy Kath had six points and four rebounds, Lauryn Ankeny recorded five points, four rebounds and three steals, and Jayda Kolstoe chipped in with three points and three boards.

Other Lakers notes

Sauk Centre won last year’s WCC title with a 12-0 league record, followed by Minnewaska Area (10-2), West Central Area and BOLD (both 7-5), Morris Area-CA (4-8), Melrose Area (2-10) and Montevideo (0-12).

at NLS 54, Waska 47

Minnewaska (4-1) 27 20 — 47

NLS 26 28 — 54

WASKA stats:  17-64 FG (7-19 3pt); 6-13 FT; 8 assists; 6 blocked shots; 31 rebounds; 12 steals; 14 fouls; 19 turnovers. . . Scoring:  Megan Thorfinnson 14, Sydney Dahl 12, Olivia Danielson 11, Addy Kath 6, Jayda Kolstoe 4 . . . Rebounding:  Alia Randt 8, Dahl 8, Danielson 5, Thorfinnson 4, Lauryn Ankeny 3, Kath 2. . . Assists:  Alia Randt 2, Dahl 2. . . Steals:  Ankeny 3, Danielson 2, Thorfinnson 2, Kolstoe 2. . . Blocks:  Ankeny 3

NLS stats:  19-66 FG (3-15 3pt); 11-15 FT; 33 rebounds; 13 steals; 14 fouls; 17 turnovers . . Scoring:  Ava Carlson 19, Ayla Caskey 13, Korbin Tanner 8 . . . Rebounding:  Carlson 11, Tanner 9, Caskey 6 . . . Other stats not available

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at Sauk C 58, Waska 48

Minnewaska (4-2) 11 37 — 48

Sauk Centre 27 31 — 58

WASKA stats:  18-68 FG (1-11 3pt); 11-18 FT; 4 assists; 2 blocks; 32 rebounds; 11 steals; 17 fouls; 14 turnovers . . . Scoring:  Sydney Dahl 20, Megan Thorfinnson 7, Olivia Danielson 7, Addy Kath 6, Lauryn Ankeny 5, Jayda Kolstoe 3. . . Rebounding:  Dahl 9, Alia Randt 5, Danielson 5, Ankeny 4, Kath 4, Kolstoe 3, Thorfinnson 2. . . Assists:  Thorfinnson 2. . . Steals:  Thorfinnson 5, Ankeny 3

SC stats:  18-60 FG (4-17 3pt); 18-22 FT; 38 rebounds; 16 fouls; 19 turnovers . . . Other stats not available

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