Girls Basketball Roundup: KMS finds a way against MACCRAY

KERKHOVEN — With both teams looking to improve its standing in the Camden Conference North, the Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg girls basketball team pulled off a close one at home.

Playing host to MACCRAY on Thursday night, the Fighting Saints’ three-point lead at halftime held on the way to a 47-44 victory over the Wolverines.

Down 19-12 with 6:08 left in the first half, KMS started to claw its way back. Acelynn Hacker hit four straight free throws to make it 19-16.

Then in the final 90 seconds of the half, the two teams traded buckets. The Wolverines’ Emma Thein hit one of two free throws to make it 20-16. Then with a 3-pointer by Shakira Olson and a layup from Julia Carlson, the Fighting Saints had their first lead since the early moments of the game. MACCRAY tied it back up when Ella Bourne made one of two free throws with 13.6 seconds.

Then with five seconds remaining before the buzzer, KMS took the 24-21 lead at halftime with a 3-pointer from Elsa Gjerde.

KMS found an edge at the free throw line. The Fighting Saints were 14 of 22 from the stripe; MACCRAY was 7 of 17.

Carlson paced KMS with 14 points along with eight rebounds. Madelynn Luft provided eight points, 10 rebounds and a block.

MACCRAY eighth-grader Brielle Janssen led all scorers with 15 points and also grabbed five boards and blocked three shots. Anne Bourne followed with 10 points.

The Fighting Saints (7-10, 5-7 Camden) face Central Minnesota Christian at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Prinsburg. The Wolverines (10-8, 6-5 Camden) are also on the road Friday, facing Lac qui Parle Valley at 7:30 p.m. in Madison.

MACCRAY (10-8)      21   23 — 44
KMS (7-10)                24   23 — 47
MACCRAY - Scoring: Ella Kienitz 2, Ella Bourne 8, Sydney Thein 4, Emma Thein 3, Brielle Janssen 15, Elsie Sumner 2, Annie Bourne 10  … 3-point shots: E. Bourne 1, S. Thein 1, Janssen 2, A. Bourne 1 … Rebound leader: Janssen 5 … Assist leader: E. Bourne 5  … Steal leader: E. Bourne 1 ... Block leader: Janssen 3
KERKHOVEN-MURDOCK-SUNBURG - Scoring: Acelynn Hacker 8, Elsa Gjerde 5, Emily Wagner 2, Julia Carlson 14, Josie Gjerde 4, Shakira Olson 5, Madelynn Luft 8, Hayley Demuth 1 … 3-point shots: E. Gjerde 1, J. Gjerde 1, Olson 1 … Rebound leader: Luft 10, Carlson 8 … Assist leader: Wagner 5 … Steal leader: Hacker 4 ... Block leader: Luft 1, Demuth 1

Limiting Lac qui Parle Valley to eight first-half points, Central Minnesota Christian left Madison with a Camden Conference win.

Coco Duininck had a Bluejay-best 19 points along with five assists and four steals. Sienna Duininck and Molly Mulder both chipped in with 12 points, followed by 10 from Natasha Erickson.

CMCS plays Russell-Tyler-Ruthton at 6 p.m. Monday in Prinsburg. LQPV’s next game is 7:30 p.m. Friday against MACCRAY in Madison.

CMCS (13-6)      24   21 — 45
LQPV (13-5)       8   18 — 26
CENTRAL MINNESOTA CHRISTIAN - Scoring: Sienna Duininck 12, Natasha Erickson 10, Molly Mulder 12, Lauren Taatjes 6, Coco Duininck 19, Carrie Mulder 2  … 3-point shots: None … Rebound leader: M. Duininck 4, C. Mulder 4 … Assist leader: C. Duininck 5 … Steal leader: C. Duininck 4 ... Block leader: Erickson 1, Taajes 1, C. Duininck 1
LAC QUI PARLE VALLEY - Stats not available

Addyson Tanner had 19 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead Renville County West past Dawson-Boyd at Renville.

Allison Estling had 17 points to lead Dawson-Boyd.

The Blackjacks play Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Okabena. RCW plays Hancock at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Dawson-Boyd (1-18)      16   26 — 42
RCW (2-15)                     27   19 — 46
DAWSON-BOYD - Scoring: Chelsie Husby 4, Katherine Dahl 9, Paige Conover 2, Ayianna Hastad 8, Allison Estling 17, Laney Bartunek 2 … 3-point shots: Dahl 2, Estling 1 … Rebound leader: Hastad 10, Estling 9, Dahl 7 … Assist leader: Dahl 1 … Steal leader: Husby 5, Estling 5, Hastad 4, Bartunek 4 ... Block leader: Dahl 3
RENVILLE COUNTY WEST - Scoring: Addyson Tanner 19, Holly Bratsch 3, Jennifer Bratsch 4, Emily Lippert 8, Rachel Jakel 6, Avery Roxberg 6  … 3-point shots: Tanner 5 … Rebound leader: Ridler 9, Tanner 5, J. Bratsch 5, Lippert 5, Jakel 45 … Assist leader: H. Bratsch 3, Laila Ridler 3 … Steal leader: Jakel 3, Tanner 2, H. Bratsch 2, J. Bratsch 2 ... Block leader: Tanner 1, J. Bratsch 1, Roxberg 1

Fifth-ranked (Class A) Minneota is now 18-2 after beating Yellow Medicine East in Camden Conference South Division play at Minneota.

The Sting will try to get back in the win column at 6 p.m. Friday at Benson.

Eden Valley-Watkins edged Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa at Belgrade.

Tiyana Schwinghammer had a big game for BBE with 19 points, eight rebounds, five steals and two blocks.

BBE plays at 6 p.m. Friday at Sauk Centre.

EV-W (9-7)      18   29 — 47
BBE (11-6)       17   27 —44
EDEN VALLEY-WATKINS - Stats not available 
BELGRADE-BROOTEN-ELROSA - Scoring: Brooklyn Fischer 8, Shelby Anderson 8, Tiyana Schwinghammer 19, Allison Dingmann 2, Kailey Fischer 5, Ella Halvorson 2 … 3-point shots: Anderson 2, Schwinghammer 1 … Rebound leader: Schwinghammer 8, Dingmann 7, K. Fischer 6 … Assist leader: Dingmann 2 … Steal leader: Schwinghammer 5, Dingmann 3 ... Block leader: Schwinghammer 2

Outscoring Paynesville 36-18 in the opening half, Royalton rolled to a Central Minnesota Conference win in Paynesville.

The Royals’ Mya Yourczek led all scorers with 20 points. Emma Flanders paced the Bulldogs with 12 points.

Paynesville plays at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Swanville.

Royalton (7-7)             36   20 — 56
Paynesville (4-11)       18   16 — 34
ROYALTON - Scoring: Haylie Wolbeck 9, Shelby Hovland 4, Hannah Krueger 5, Mya Yourczek 20, Callie Vannurden 4, Blair Tschida 8, Autumn Schoenrock 6 … 3-point shots: Wolbeck 1, Krueger 1, Yourczek 3, Tschida 2 … Rebound leader: n/a … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a 
PAYNESVILLE - Scoring: Grace Roberg 3, Emma Flanders 12, Maddie Hentges 2, Aubrie Spanier 2, Mikayla Roberg 2, Paige Ludwig 2, Katie Uhlenkamp 11 … 3-point shots: none … Rebound leader: n/a … Assist leader: n/a … Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a