WILLMAR - In the opening minutes of Thursday's game against Brainerd, the Willmar boys basketball team looked nothing like it had for the first seven weeks of the season: disorganized on defense and muddled on offense.
In the blink of an eye, though, the Cardinals turned it around.
No. 5 Willmar turned an 11-point deficit into a 13-point halftime lead and kept the foot on the gas pedal from there, improving to 14-0 with a 73-59 win over the Warriors.
Noah Slagter led all scorers with 23 points while Ryan Slette scored 16 of his 20 points during a frenetic first-half run for the Cardinals.
Brainerd came out of the gates with a clear target on Willmar's still-perfect record, jumping out to a 19-8 lead in the early going.
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But the Warriors' red-hot shooting quickly cooled down, allowing the Cardinals to promptly turn the tides.
Willmar grabbed the lead back at 28-27 with six minutes to go in the half after a 20-8 burst and then put up 20 more points before entering the locker room to take a 48-35 lead.
Slette keyed the Cardinals' second 20-8 run of the half with four 3-pointers and finished the game 8-for-16 from the field.
The pace and scoring slowed down in the second half with Willmar outscoring Brainerd just 25-24.
Ty Roelofs just missed out on a double-double for the Cardinals with nine points and 10 rebounds.
Brandon Burggraff had 18 points to lead the Warriors, which ended up shooting just 7-for-27 on 3s after a hot start.
The Cardinals are off until Tuesday when they hit the road to take on 8-4 Alexandria.
Willmar 73, Brainerd 59
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Brainerd (5-8) 35 24 - 59
Willmar (14-0) 48 25 - 73
BRAINERD - Scoring: Brandon Burggraff 18, Chris Karels 12, Taylor Shelito 10, Ben Staehling 7, Owen Davis 4, Joey Sauer 3, Mason Malone 3, Tanner Lundberg 2 ... 3-point shots: Burggraff 4, Karels 2, Malone 1 ... Rebound leader: Burggraff 10 ... Assist leader: Shelito 2 ... Steal leader: Sauer 2
WILLMAR - Scoring: Noah Slagter 23, Ryan Slette 20, Ty Roelofs 9, Noah Getz 8, Drey Dirksen 7, Jake Evans 4, Cameron Murphy 2 ... 3-point shots: Slagter 2, Slette 4, Getz 1 ... Rebound leader: Roelofs 10, Slagter 7, Murphy 7, Dirksen 7 ... Assist leader: Murphy 3 ... Steal leader: Slagter 4
Litchfield 56, W-M 47
Litchfield improved to .500 on the season with an Owen Boerema-powered win against Watertown-Mayer.
Boerema finished with a game-high 23 points and Alex Gruenke helped provided an outside presence with three made 3-pointers.
Litchfield (7-7) 20 36 - 56
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Watertown-Mayer (5-8) 27 20 - 47
LITCHFIELD - Scoring: Logan Graphenteen 4, Alex Gruenke 13, Owen Boerema 23, Jordan Green 4, Jake Schneider 10, Jack Osterberg 2 ... 3-point shots: Graphenteen 1, Gruenke 3, Boerema 2 ... Rebound leader: Schneider 5 ... Assist leader: Schneider 3 ... Steal leader: Gruenke 1, Green 1
WATERTOWN-MAYER - Scoring: Nate Truniger 2, Brevin Williams 6, Will McBee 11, Wilson Kuhn 6, Sam Ragner 3, Braxton Williams 12, Wes Burns 6, Tom Theisen 1 ... 3-point shots: McBee 1, Ragner 1, Braxton Williams 3 ... Rebound leader: Burns 6, McBee 6 ... Assist leader: Truniger 5 ... Steal leader: McBee 2, Braxton Williams 2
ACGC 58, Benson 45
Kobe Holtz and Dawson Miller each scored 17 points as ACGC topped Benson in a West Central Conference game.
Holtz also reeled in 10 rebounds while Steven Lawver finished with nine points and seven rebounds.
ACGC (6-6) 22 36 - 58
Benson (0-13) 15 30 - 45
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ACGC - Scoring: Josh Kinzler 4, Kobe Holtz 17, Jaren Kaddatz 9, Dawson Miller 17, Steven Lawver 9, Michael Lambert 2 ... 3-point shots: Holtz 1, Miller 2, Lawver 1 ... Rebound leader: Holtz 10, Lawver 7 ... Assist leader: Kinzler 6 ... Steal leader: Kinzler 5
BENSON - Scoring: Austin Ose 5, Eric Hoium 3, Will Enderson 13, Sam Lundebrek 14, Hunter Gonnerman 8, Jonas Habben 2... 3-point shots: Ose 1, Enderson 2 ... Rebound leader: Hoium 5, Lundebrek 5, Gonnerman 5 ... Assist leader: Ose 3 ... Steal leader: Enderson 5
RCW 75, WCC 43
Nathan Serbus scored 23 points and he pulled down 12 rebounds in Renville County West's win over Willmar Community Christian on Thursday.
Justin Schrupp scored 14 points and had seven rebounds and Riley Ashburn finished with 11 points, six boards, four assists and three steals.
WCC's Zion Alston scored 23 points and Daniel Reid scored seven points.
Willmar CC (5-6) 17 26 - 43
RCW (8-9) 43 32 - 75
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WILLMAR COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN - Scoring: Simon Haugen 2, Greg Reid 5, Zach Patock 3, Zion Alston 23, Will Kneprath 1, Daniel Reid 7 ... 3-point shots: G. Reid 1, Alston 3, D. Reid 1 ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
RENVILLE COUNTY WEST - Scoring: Jamie Castillo 9, Trent Kjersten 4, Connor Aalderks 5, Tony Froland 7, Justin Schrupp 14, Tino Salinas 2, Riley Ashburn 11, Nathan Serbus 23 ... 3-point shots: Castillo 1, Aalderks 1, Schrupp 2, Ashburn 1 ... Rebound leader: Serbus 12, Froland 9, Castillo 8, Schrupp 7, Ashburn 6 ... Assist leader: Kjersten 4, Ashburn 4 ... Steal leader: Ashburn 3
Girls Basketball
BBE 48, Kimball 42
BBE improved to 12-4 on the year with a win over Kimball on Thursday night.
Morgan Gronli led the Jaguars with 12 points as seven different players scored. Macie Kirckof had 13 rebounds to lead BBE.
Kimball (7-8) 24 18 - 42
BBE (12-4) 30 18 - 48
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KIMBALL - Stats not provided
BBE - Scoring: Grace Illies 1, Cassandra Tensen 7, Jenna Dingmann 9, Morgan Gronli 12, Macie Kirckof 7, Nicole Wesbur 6, Kendra Schmitz 6 ... 3-point shots: Dingmann 3, Gronli 1 ... Rebound leader: Kirckof 13, Wesbur 6 ... Assist leader: Tensen 3 ... Steal leader: Kirckof 5, Illies 4
Minnewaska 63, Montevideo 41
Avery Hoeper scored a game-high 17 points for guide Minnewaska past Montevideo in a West Central Conference battle.
Hoeper knocked in four 3-pointers and Alexis Piekarski added eight points and 10 rebounds to the cause as well.
Nine different Thunder Hawks made it to the score sheet, including Jasmyn Kronback, who tallied eight points.
Minnewaska (9-7) 32 31 - 63
Montevideo (4-9) 15 26 - 41
MINNEWASKA - Scoring: Maddie Thorfinnson 6, Kendra Kuczek 10, Hannah Hoffmann 6, Alexis Piekarski 8, Madison Kluver 2, Emma Thorfinnson 14, Avery Hoeper 17 ... 3-point shots: Kuczek 1, Hoeper 4 ... Rebound leader: Piekarski 10, Hoepfer 4 ... Assist leader: Hoffmann 3, E. Thorfinnson 2 ... Steal leader: Emily Harste 4, Rachel Erickson 3
MONTEVIDEO - Scoring: Molly Reeves 4, Kamren Saue 2, Emmy Enevoldsen 3, Madalyn Kilibarda 6, Kari Fragodt 2, Jasmyn Kronback 8, Livia Gades 6, Greta Rongstad 3, Sydney Zindel 7 ... 3-point shots: Gades 2 ... Rebound leader: Zindel 5, Kronback 5, Gades 4 ... Assist leader: Gades 2, Enevoldsen 2 ... Steal leader: Saue 2, Kronback 2
BOLD 83, Morris/CA 58
BOLD was tough to handle on Thursday in a West Central Conference game at Morris/Chokio-Alberta.
Makenna Steffel had 28 points, 11 rebounds and 10 steals. Steffel, Makayla Snow (10 points, eight rebounds) and Morgan Schmitz (15 points) combined for 19 steals.
Morris/CA (9-7) 37 21 - 58
BOLD (13-3) 42 41 - 83
MORRIS/CHOKIO-ALBERTA - Scoring: Maddie Carrington 8, Riley Decker 18, Liz Dietz 7, Jennifer Solvie 4, Malory Anderson 17, Kendra Wevley 4 ... 3-point shots: Decker 4, Carrington 2, Dietz 1 ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
BOLD - Scoring: Abby Sigurdson 4, Morgan Schmitz 15, Taylor Sagedahl 6, Makenna Steffel 28, Ashley Trongard 10, Makayla Snow 10, Brenna Weis 10 ... 3-point shots: Schmitz 1, Trongard 1, Sagedahl 1 ... Rebound leader: Steffel 11, Snow 8, Sagedahl 7... Assist leader: Weis 9, Sigurdson 4 ... Steal leader: Steffel 10, Snow 5, Schmitz 4
CMCS 67, Canby 63 OT
A number of Bluejays flexed their muscles in an overtime effort to hold off Canby Thursday night and get the win.
CMCS opened up the first half with a 27-18 score but the Lancers roared back with 41 points in the second half to force overtime. The Bluejays were excellent in the paint, though, and were able to hold off Canby for the win.
Elli Stoel piled it on with 23 points and 11 rebounds, joining teammate Ellie Greenwaldt with a double-double. Greenwaldt tallied 14 points and 11 rebounds.
Colette Duininck, meanwhile, finished with 21 points, and Katelyn Bulthuis finished just short of a double-double with nine points and a team-high 14 rebounds.
CMCS (3-11) 27 32 8 - 67
Canby (4-10) 18 41 4 - 63
CENTRAL MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL - Scoring: Elli Stoel 23, Ellie Greenwaldt 14, Colette Duininck 21, Katelyn Bulthuis 9 ... 3-point shots: Stoel 4, Duininck 2 ... Rebound leader: Stoel 11, Greenwaldt 11, Bulthuis 14 ... Assist leader: Reegan Duininck 9 ... Steal leader: C Duininck 4, Stoel 3, R Duininck 3
CANBY - Scoring: Sarah Hansen 4, Hannah Jelen 6, Kalli Jelen 12, Ahlea Wright 1, Marissa Hansen 4, Kaylee Leppke 2, Alyssa Beckius 14, Norah King 20 ... 3-point shots: K Jelen 4, Beckius 1 ... Rebound leader: King 12, Beckius 10 ... Assist leader: Cleveland 5, Beckius 9 ... Steal leader: S Hansen 3
YME 59, D-B 52
Dawson-Boyd's Avery Bartunek posted a triple-double but Yellow Medicine East came away with a seven-point win on Thursday night.
Bartunek had 11 points, 12 assists and 10 steals for the Blackjacks, and just missed a quadruple-double with seven rebounds.
Mackenzie Dyrdahl had 16 points to lead the Sting to the victory.
YME (11-4) 31 28 - 59
D-B (5-10) 21 31 - 52
YELLOW MEDICINE EAST - Scoring: Kaitlyn Mortenson 12, Anna McCosh 9, Madison Hinz 11, Mackenzie Dyrdahl 16, Hannah Gullickson 11 ... 3-point shots: Mortenson 2, Hinz 3 ... Rebound leader: McCosh 8, Hinz 6, Gullickson 7 ... Assist leader: Dahlager 5 ... Steal leader: McCosh 3
DAWSON-BOYD - Scoring: Gionna Parsa 9, Mary Bothun 13, Alex Sather 16, Avery Bartunek 11, Jenna Wyum 3 ... 3-point shots: Parsa 3, Bartunek 1, Wyum 1 ... Rebound leader: Bothun 15, Sather 9, Bartunek 7 ... Assist leader: Bartunek 12 ... Steal leader: Bartunek 10
Minneota 77, KMS 46
Minneota used a big first half to cruised to 13-3 with a win over Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg.
Lydia Sussner led all scorers with 24 points for the Vikings.
Katie Krieger had 17 points and six boards for the Saints.
KMS is back in action at YME on Tuesday.
Minneota (13-3) 59 18 - 77
KMS (4-13) 22 24 - 46
MINNEOTA - Scoring: Morgan Kockelman 2, Lizzie Gillingham 9, Morgan Hennen 7, Natalie Rolbiecki 9, Abby Hennen 18, Abby Rost 7, Katie Konold 2, Lydia Sussner 24 ... 3-point shots: Gillingham 1, Rolbiecki 1, A Hennen 1 ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
KMS - Scoring: Katie Krieger 17, Mallory Rudningen 6, Morgan Lesteberg 10, Madison Rohner 6, Dacotah Rohner 7 ... 3-point shots: Krieger 3, Lesteberg 1, D Rohner 1 ... Rebound leader: Krieger 6 ... Assist leader: Lesteberg 4 ... Steal leader: Krieger 3
LQPV 61, RTR 39
Lindsay Kranz had a big game with 22 points and seven rebounds as Lac qui Parle Valley improved to 16-2 on the year
The Eagles jumped out to a 21-point halftime lead and cruised to the win.
RTR (9-8) 15 24 - 61
LQPV (16-2) 36 25 - 39
RUSSELL-TYLER-RUTHTON - Scoring: Brooke Thompson 1, Makenzie Bouchert 4, Chloe Hess 4, Jonni Biren 4, Mia Christiansen 13, Catherine Vogt 5, Jackie Dressen 8 ... 3-point shots: Biren 1, Dressen 2 ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
LAC QUI PARLE VALLEY - Scoring: Haley Wollschlager 7, Kelsea Lund 9, Isabel Schirm 6, Grace Hegland 6, Lindsay Kranz 22, Sidney Gerdes 7, Katlyn Gades 4 ... 3-point shots: Wollschlager 1, Schirm 2, Gerdes 1 ... Rebound leader: Gerdes 7, Hegland 7, Kranz 7 ... Assist leader: Lund 6, Wollschlager 4 ... Steal leader: Wollschlager 6, Lund 3
TMB 65, MACCRAY 38
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton cruised to win No. 14 with a 65-38 win over Camden Conference foe MACCRAY.
Evelyn Dolan scored a game-high 24 points followed by Sydney Lanoue's 16 points for the Panthers.
TMB (14-1) 32 33 - 65
MACCRAY (7-9) 22 16 - 38
TRACY-MILROY-BALATON - Scoring: Evelyn Dolan 24, Sydney Lanoue 16, Samantha Edwards 8, Kaylee Kirk 5, Catherine Wendland 5, Dakota Rolling 3, Alecia Christian 2, Laura Karkle 2 ... 3-point shots: Wendland 1, Rolling 1 ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
MACCRAY - Scoring: Sydney Schwitters 8, Sage Mecker 6, Olivia Ruiter 6, Ellie Thein 5, Gabby Randt 4, Piper Asche 4, Kaia Jaenisch 2, Kate Hultgren 2 ... 3-point shots: Schwitters 2, Mecker 1 ... Rebound leader: Asche 8, Schwitters 6, Randt 5, Thein 4 ... Assist leader: Asche 4, Schwitters 3 ... Steal leader: Thein 3
RRC 61, RCW 17
Red Rock Central downed Renville County West on Thursday night to move to 9-6.
RRC (9-6) 37 24 - 61
RCW (0-17) 9 8 - 17
RED ROCK CENTRAL - Stats not provided
RENVILLE COUNTY WEST - Scoring: Steph Zaske 3, Sandra Perez 2, Aleah Zieske 2, Vanessa Savig 2, Pamela Winzenburg 1, Lauren Allex 2, Tracie Reed 4 ... 3-point shots: none ... Rebound leader: Winzenburg 4 ... Assist leader: Savig 1, Winzenburg 1 ... Steal leader: Savig 2
Sauk Centre 69, ACGC 38
Sauk Centre powered to 14-0 on the season with a 69-38 win over Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City.
The Mainstreeters were led by Maesyn Thisen's 17 points and led by 29 points at halftime.
Sauk Centre (14-0) 45 24 - 69
ACGC (5-10) 16 22 - 38
SAUK CENTRE - Scoring: Hannah Dammann 4, Miranda Middendorf 1, Kelsey Peschel 11, Kenzie Schmiesing 6, Megan Klaphake 8, Tori Peschel 9, Maesyn Thiesen 17, Julia Dammann 8, Micheala Dammann 5 ... 3-point shots: H Dammann 1, K Peschel 1, Klaphake 2, T Peschel 1, Thiesen 3 ... Rebound leader: NA ... Assist leader: NA ... Steal leader: NA
ACGC - Scoring: Jeana Denton 4, Anna Grimsgard 4, Lindsey Minnick 4, Holly Hoekstra 2, Addison Bernstein 6, Pailey Wilner 5, Gabby Lawver 6, Brittany Schultz 2, Rachel Wilner 2 ... 3-point shots: Denton 1, Minnick 1, P Wilner 1 ... Rebound leader: Denton 6, Minnick 8 ... Assist leader: Minnick 2 ... Steal leader: Minnick 2
