Girls basketball: Sartell spears Willmar comeback
SARTELL — The Willmar Cardinals couldn’t contain Sartell’s Ashton Haider while their own offense sputtered on Friday night in a 44-40 Central Lakes Conference loss.
Haider, a 5-foot-6 senior guard, drained four 3-pointers on the way to a 24-point evening.
The Cardinals, who trailed 8-0 out of the gate, couldn’t find the range in the Sabres gym.
The visitors made just 13 field goals at a 33 percent clip; at the charity stripe just 10 of 22 dropped through.
Willmar trailed by five at halftime, 23-18, and by as many as nine early in the second half. Kalley Fosso led a charge that tied the game 32-all with the first of her three 3-pointers post-intermission.
But Haider and the Sabres pulled away again 36-32 and led 45-40 late before tacking on four more points.
“We’d trail and then catch up, then trail again and catch up,” said Willmar coach Dustin Carlson. “It seemed like we couldn’t get that key rebound or defensive stop to put us over the top”
Fosso was the team’s high scorer with those three bonus shots from beyond the arc. Center Caroline Bell in her first start after coming back from injury got 7 points. Anne Dunham had 11 rebounds but managed to score only five points.
The Cardinals head back north again on Monday to confront Sauk Centre (9-0).
The Mainstreeters, ranked No. 3 in the most recent Class AA poll, played section rival Albany (9-3) last night, winning 48-45 after trailing by 36-28 at halftime. Sauk finished 27-5 last season and state runner-up to Providence Academy.
Sartell 49, Willmar 40
Willmar (3-3 6-5) 18 22 — 40
Sartell (4-2 7-5) 23 26 — 49
WILLMAR – 13-40 FG (4-14 3-pt); 10-22 FT; 33 rebounds; 17 fouls … Scoring: Courtney Magnuson 2, Kassy Linbo 2, McKenzie Hastad 3, Heather Horning 3, Anne Dunham 5, Kalley Fosso 9, Caroline Bell 7, Jennie Magnuson 5, Leah Ruter 4 … 3-point shots: Horning 1, Fosso 3 … Rebound leaders: Dunham 11, Horning 4 … Assist leaders: Fosso 2, Dunham 2, Linbo 2, C. Magnuson 2 … Steal leaders: Horning 3, Fosso 2
SARTELL – 17-56 FG (6-21 3-pt); 9-20 FT; 26 rebounds; 14 fouls … Scoring: Kim Zipp 3, Rachel Winter 4, Ashton Haider 24, Kendra Raths 9, Cassie Ross 3, Emily Johnson 2, Haley Johnson 2 … 3-point shots: Zipp 1, Winter 1, Haider 4