Girls basketball roundup: Cards give Marshall a game in 49-38 loss

WILLMAR — The Willmar girls basketball team battled in its 49-38 loss against Marshall on Tuesday at the Big Red Gym.

“I think (the girls) played very hard. We’ve had a tough stretch of opponents,” Willmar head coach Brendan Hedtke said. “They’ve done a good job of staying positive and working hard.”

Marshall (14-5) ranks No. 14 in Class AAA. The Cardinals held the Tigers to 40.5% shooting from the field, 20% from 3-point range and stole the ball 13 times.

Hedtke tasked three of his guards — Deshawna Hodges, Maycee Gustafson and Telilie Lange — to defend Marshall’s Brianna Simpson. The trio held Simpson to two points in the first half.

“We did a good job of defending her,” Hedtke said.

Marshall’s zone defense and size made it difficult for the Cardinals to penetrate inside.

Willmar focused on utilizing the pick-and-roll to find openings in the Tigers’ defense.

“It was good to see the pick-and-roll,” Hedtke said. “It was good for us to get some mismatches and we could've used it more.”

Gustafson, a 5-foot-3 junior guard, led Willmar with 10 points, making 5 of 5 shots from the field. She has played junior varsity throughout points of the season as well.

“Maycee struggled for a stretch in the middle of the season,” Hedtke said. “It’s been nice to see her have some big games. She’s been earning a lot more minutes with her defense and offense.”

Willmar plays Sartell at 7:15 p.m. Thursday at the Big Red Gym.

Marshall (14-5)      26   23 — 49
Willmar (4-14)        19   19 — 38

MARSHALL - Stats not available

WILLMAR - Scoring: Maycee Gustafson 10, Zoe Schroeder 9, Allie Rosendahl 5, Brielle Ogdahl 4, Telilie Lange 4, Lyza Gustafson 4, Kenedee Salonek 2 … 3-point shots: Rosendahl 1, Schroeder 1 … Rebound leader: Ogdahl 7 … Assist leader: Rosendahl 3 … Steal leaders: Ogdahl 3, Salonek 3 ... Block leader: Ogdahl 1, Schroeder 1

Avery Rich had 21 points, five assists and five steals and Ava Carlson contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds in New London-Spicer’s victory at Watertown-Mayer.

Dakota Rich added 11 assists for the Wildcats, who are 8-0 in the Wright County Conference West Division and ranked second in the state in Class AA. Watertown-Mayer is 5-3 in conference play. The Royals were led by Mallory Czinano, who had 10 points.

NLS plays Montevideo at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at New London.

NLS (17-0)                  33   40 — 73
Watertown-Mayer (10-8)       23   25 — 48

NLS - Scoring: Ayla Caskey 6, Jaden Coahran 13, Avery Rich 21, Ava Carlson 15, Kaley Thorson 4, Dakota Rich 3, Miller Holland 3, Delaney Hanson 7, Katelynn Tortorella 1  … 3-point shots: Kaskey 2, A. Rich 1, D. Rich 1, Holland 1 … Rebound leaders: Carlson 11, Hanson 10, Coahran 8, Thorson 3 … Assist leader: D. Rich 11, A. Rich 5, Holland 3 … Steal leader: A. Rich 5, D. Rich 4 ... Block leader: Coahran 2, Hanson 1, Carlson 1 

WATERTOWN-MAYER - Scoring: Eleanor Rundell 3, Kira Frisbie 3, Madelynn Onell 9, Lyndsey Penegor 9, Abby Otterness 6, Mercedes Burmeister 8, Mallory Czinano 10 … 3-point shots: Rundell 1, Frisbie 1, Onell 1 … Rebound leader: n/a … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a

Izzy Pennertz had 15 points and Ryanna Steinhaus added 11 points, seven rebounds, six steals and five assists in Litchfield’s victory at Rockford.

The Dragons broke a four-game losing streak and also got nine points and 10 rebounds from Greta Hansen.

Julia Houghton led Rockford with nine points scored on three 3-pointers.

Litchfield plays Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted at 6 p.m. Thursday at Litchfield.

Litchfield (8-9)         28  16 — 44
Rockford (6-11)       13   15 — 28

LITCHFIELD - Scoring: Ryanna Steinhaus 11, Kylie Michels 6, Greta Hansen 9, Izzy Pennertz 15, Morgan Falling 3  … 3-point shots: Steinhaus 1, Michels 2, Falling 1 … Rebound leaders: Hansen 10, Steinhaus 7 … Assist leaders: Steinhaus 5, Michels 5 … Steal leaders: Steinhaus 6, Falling 4 ... Block leader: Pennertz 1 

ROCKFORD - Scoring: Dayne Lowe 3, Marissa Miller 2, Ellen Gordee 2, Maye Weiss 7, Julia Houghton 9, Katlyn Eilderts 2, Amelia Ehlers 3 … 3-point shots: Lowe 1, Houghton 3 … Rebound leader: n/a … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a

Montevideo senior Avery Koenen scored her 2,000th career point in the Thunder Hawks’ West Central Conference win over Minnewaska in Glenwood.

Koenen is committed to play college basketball at Division I North Dakota State.

Montevideo has won four straight games. The Thunder Hawks move to 6-0 in the West Central while the Lakers drop to 3-5.

Minnewaska plays Sauk Centre at 5:45 p.m. Thursday at Sauk Centre. Montevideo plays New London-Spicer at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at New London.

Montevideo (14-2)        19   29 — 48
Minnewaska (5-12)       15   20 — 35

MONTEVIDEO - Stats not available

MINNEWASKA - Scoring: Megan Thorfinnson 12, Brooke Kolstoe 9, Avery Fier 9, Lauryn Ankeny 3, Sydney Dahl 2 … 3-point shots: Thorfinnson 2, Ankeny 1, Fier 1 … Rebound leader: Kolstoe 6 … Assist leader: three players with 1 … Steal leader: Thorfinnson 4 ... Block leader: Addyson Kath 3

Holdingford stormed out to a 40-12 halftime lead to win for the 16th time in 17 games by beating Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at Grove City.

Holdingford is now 9-0 in Central Minnesota Conference play. ACGC is 2-7 in the CMC.

Adison Pilarski had 17 points and Madison Mitchell added 16 for the Huskers.

Ruby Klinger had 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and two blocks for the Falcons.

ACGC plays Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa at 7 p.m. Friday at Grove City.

Holdingford (16-3)      40   25 — 65
ACGC (4-12)         12   28 — 45

HOLDINGFORD - Scoring: Addison Pilarski 17, Lauren Soltis 2, Felicity LeBlanc 4, Trista Popp 6, Kristen Sand 2, Madison Mitchell 16, Makenna Hohbein 8, Makenna Streit 2, Chesney Phillips 8  … 3-point shots: Popp 1 … Rebound leader: n/a … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a

ACGC - Scoring: Elli Roemeling 9, Mikali Johnson 2, Brooke Schultz 4, Aleah Carlson 3, Ruby Klinger 12, Brooke Brekke 5, Mackenzie Powers 2, Grace Kaehler 8  … 3-point shots: Schultz 1, Carlson 1, Brekke 1, Kaehler 2 … Rebound leaders: Roemeling 12, Klinger 4, Kaehler 4 … Assist leaders: Klinger 2, Roemeling 2 … Steal leaders: Taylor Frerichs 2, Powers 2 ... Block leaders: Roemeling 2, Klinger 2

Royalton improved its record to 10-7 with the victory over Paynesville at Royalton.

Royalton is 6-3 in the Central Minnesota Conference. Paynesville is 6-4.

The Bulldogs (8-10) play at 7 p.m. Friday at Kimball.