WILLMAR-Whatever it was that Dustin Carlson said to his Willmar girls basketball team at halftime on Friday night, it sure worked.
The Cardinals (19-2, 9-2) rebounded from an up-and-down first half against St. Cloud Apollo (10-11, 3-8) by leaving the Eagles in the dust in the second half en route to a 75-50 win at Willmar High School.
Hannah Johnson and Cayle Hovland each scored 16 points to lead the Cardinals, who remained one game back of first place in the Central Lakes Conference.
No. 10 Willmar largely controlled the game in the first half, but shot just 3-for-15 at the free throw line to take just a two-point lead into halftime.
"The girls really wore them down in the first half," Carlson said. "That's the Willmar Way, grind until we can pull away at the end."
ADVERTISEMENT
The Cardinals went on a 21-7 run in the first six minutes of the second half to take a 16-point lead. From there, they coasted to victory.
Willmar hit 10 of its 14 free throw attempts in the second half and shot 44 percent (30-for-68) from the field as a team.
Apollo was led by Lariah Washington's game-best 29 points, but shot just 29.1 percent (16-for-55) and turned the ball over 18 times.
The Cardinals were much more careful with the ball, finishing with nine turnovers.
Not only did Willmar pick up a conference win, but it also remained perfect in Section 5AAA play with the victory over a section opponent.
Madi Linbo added 12 points, and Carly Wedel and Katelyn Murphy each chipped in eight points for the Cardinals.
Willmar 75, SC Apollo 50
SC Apollo (10-11) 26 24 - 50
ADVERTISEMENT
Willmar (19-2) 28 47 - 75
ST. CLOUD APOLLO - Scoring: Chloe Swanson 3, Kayla Nguyen 3, Lariah Washington 29, Jessica Timpane 12, Ashley Koepp 2, Shelby Pfannenstein 1 ... 3-point shots: Nguyen 1, Washington 2, Timpane 2... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
WILLMAR - Scoring: Mackenzie Jones 5, Katelyn Murphy 8, Sadie Raitz 4, Jordyn Swoboda 6, Madi Linbo 12, Hannah Johnson 16, Cayle Hovland 16, Carly Wedel 8 ... 3-point shots: Murphy 1, Linbo 1 ... Rebound leader: Johnson 8, Wedel 7, Hovland 5 ... Assist leader: Caitlin Ogdahl 2, Abby Berskow 2 ... Steal leader: Johnson 4
BOLD 69, ACGC 58
BOLD used four double-digit scorers to stave off ACGC in a close West Central Conference battle.
Makenna Steffel led the Warriors with 17 points and Addison Bernstein finished with 15 points for the Falcons.
BOLD (19-5) 39 30 - 69
ACGC (7-14) 27 31 - 58
ADVERTISEMENT
BOLD - Scoring: Abby Sigurdson 1, Morgan Schmitz 4, Taylor Sagedahl 13, Makenna Steffel 17, Ashley Trongard 7, Makayla Snow 13, Brenna Weis 14 ... 3-point shots: Sagedahl 1, Trongard 1, Snow 1, Weis 1 ... Rebound leader: xxx ... Assist leader: xxx ... Steal leader: xxx
ACGC - Scoring: Jeana Denton 9, Anna Grimsgard 4, Lindsey Minnick 5, Addison Bernstein 15, Gabby Lawver 4, Karina Kinzler 2, Madison Denton 8, Rachel Wilner 11 ... 3-point shots: J Denton 3, Bernstein 2, M Denton 1, Wilner 2 ... Rebound leader: Bernstein 6, Minnick 6 ... Assist leader: Minnick 6 ... Steal leader: Wilner 4, Minnick 3, J Denton 3
Sauk Centre 72, Benson 35
Sauk Centre remained undefeated with a win against Benson Friday night that featured nine different Mainstreeters on the score sheet. Kelsey Peschel led with 18 points.
Claire Ricard scored a Benson-high 12 points.
Sauk Centre (21-0) 34 38 - 72
Benson (3-19) 16 19 - 35
SAUK CENTRE - Scoring: Kelsey Peschel 18, Kenzie Schmiesing 8, Megan Klaphake 3, Tori Peschel 10, Maesyn Thiesen 17, Emily Gapinski 3, Jackie Middendorf 2, Julia Dammann 8, Michaela Dammann 3 ... 3-point shots: K. Peschel 4, Klaphake 1, Thiesen 4, Gapinski 1 ... Rebound leader: Schmiesing 7, T. Peschel 5 ... Assist leader: K. Peschel 4 ... Steal leader: Schmiesing 4
BENSON - Scoring: Kaitlyn Berreau 5, Abbie Mitteness 1, Courtney McNeill 3, Claire Ricard 12, Hannah Andrews 6, Abby Lundebrek 4, Grace Lee 4 ... 3-point shots: Berreau 1, McNeill 1, Andrews 2 ... Rebound leader: Lee 5, Ricard 4 ... Assist leader: Ricard 3 ... Steal leader: Lee 3, Berreau 3
Melrose 52, Montevideo 29
Melrose opened up with a 32-point first half on the way to a convincing West Central Conference win Friday night.
Makiya Luetmer led the Dutch scoring attack with 19 points.
Montevideo will continue the homestand with a visit from Redwood Valley Tuesday.
Melrose (12-10) 32 20 - 52
Montevideo (4-14) 12 17 - 29
MELROSE - Scoring: Cassie Klaphake 2, Ashley Rademacher 9, Mia Meyer 2, Whitney Austing 5, Makiya Luetmer 19, Maddy Duffner 15 ... 3-point shots: none ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
MONTEVIDEO - Scoring: Kamren Saue 2, Emmy Enevoldsen 4, Jasmyn Kronback 7, Greta Rongstad 2, Sydney Zindel 4, Avery Koenen 2, Tegan Marty 6, Kaylee Pauling 2 ... 3-point shots: none ... Rebound leader: Zindel 8, Kronback 4 ... Assist leader: Livia Gades 2 ... Steal leader: Saue 2, Enevoldsen 2, Kronback 2
Swanville 58, KMS 45
Swanville built a seven-point halftime edge and KMS couldn't claw back in the second half of a non-conference game in Kerkhoven on Friday.
KMS' Katie Krieger scored 14 points and Madison Rohner narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds. Krieger also had six assists and Morgan Lesteberg had seven points, five assists and four steals.
The Saints are off until playing host to MACCRAY at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
Swanville (11-9) 27 31 - 58
KMS (5-18) 20 25 - 45
SWANVILLE - Stats not provided
KMS - Scoring: Katie Krieger 14, Mallory Rudningen 7, Morgan Lesteberg 7, Madison Rohner 9, Maret Gjerde 6, Dacotah Rohner 2 ... 3-point shots: Krieger 2, M. Rohner 1, Gjerde 1 ... Rebound leader: M. Rohner 8 ... Assist leader: Krieger 6, Lesteberg 5 ... Steal leader: Lesteberg 4
Maple Lake 59, Paynesville 41
Maple Lake jumped out to a big first-half lead and defeated Paynesville on Friday in Paynesville.
Maple Lake (13-7) 26 33 - 59
Paynesville (1-21) 12 29 - 41
MAPLE LAKE - Scoring: Linsey Rachel 22, Mackenna Brown 12, Mollie Scheiber 11 ... 3-point shots: NA ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
PAYNESVILLE - Scoring: Kali Reiter 8, Brynn Johnson 7 ... 3-point shots: NA ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
