Girls basketball: New London-Spicer Wildcats come home with the consolation championship

ST. PAUL — The New London-Spicer girls basketball team wrapped up the season with a state Class AA consolation championship Friday.

The Wildcats beat Perham 65-38 at the Gangelhoff Center on the Concordia University campus to earn a fifth-place trophy and end the season with a 30-2 record.

“I think we’ve always handled it (the consolation bracket) decently,” said Mike Dreier, whose team has qualified for state 20 times in his 43 years as NLS’ head coach.

Nick Leonardelli / Perham Focus

The Wildcats rebounded from a 50-28 loss to Minnehaha Academy in Wednesday’s quarterfinals before beating Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 74-38 in Thursday’s consolation semifinals.

The game marked the end of the careers of seniors Jaden Coahran, Miller Holland, Ellary Peterson, Avery Rich, Kaylee Thorson and Katelynn Tortorella. Dreier was proud of the fact that all six got to play in all three state tournament games.

“The seniors did make great contributions all year long and their entire career,” Dreier said. “They got to play in all three games of the tournament, which is awesome …

“They elevated their game, actually (after the Minnehaha Academy loss). They didn’t want the Minnehaha game to be the last taste in their mouths.”

NLS forced 17 first-half turnovers on the Yellowjackets on their way to a 37-15 halftime lead. Perham made 25 turnovers overall. Coahran led the Wildcats with 18 points, Avery Rich had 14 and Delaney Hanson added 12, all on 3-pointers. Peterson had nine rebounds and Coahran had six steals and four assists.

Mya Morris and Willow Thiel each had 12 points for Perham.

Nick Leonardelli / Perham Focus

Perham (27-6)      15   23 — 38
NLS (30-2)            37   28 — 65
PERHAM - Scoring: Mya Morris 12, Cora Grismer 3, Kaia Anderson 3, Morgan Smith 3, Kennedy Pilgrim 2, Olivia Pilgrim 3, Willow Thiel 12  … 3-point shots: Morris 4, Grismer 1, Anderson 1, O. Pilgrim 1 … Rebound leader: n/a … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a
NLS - Scoring: Jaden Coahran 18, Avery Rich 14, Ava Carlson 9, Kaylee Thorson 2, Ellary Peterson 4, Dakota Rich 6, Delaney Hanson 12 … 3-point shots: Coahran 3, A. Rich 1, Carlson 1, D. Rich 2, Hanson 4 … Rebound leaders: Peterson 9, A. Rich 4, Coahran 4 … Assist leader: Coahran 4, A. Rich 3, Peterson 3, D. Rich 3 … Steal leader: Coahran 6, A. Rich 3, Peterson 3, Carlson 2 ... Block leader: none