WILLMAR -- Now the road gets steep.
The Ridgewater Warriors had no trouble polishing off undermanned Anoka-Ramsey Golden Rams on Saturday 88-51 on Saturday.
But up next are key road games at Fergus Falls on Wednesday and at Minneapolis on Saturday, then a home game with Rochester on Feb. 18.
"The Circle of Death," Warriors' coach Bob Knutson chuckled.
With six victories, the Warriors are a lock to qualify for the state tournament, so wins are not as critical as playing well at each stop.
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Anoka-Ramsey jumped out 7-0, but Ridgewater then scored 13 unanswered points and the tone was set.
Golden Rams' head coach Ron Larson, whose career stretches back to Underwood High School in 1972, said his two best players are injured and he had to dress two student managers for the game so he had at least two reserves. The Golden Rams' 6-11 center Brian Smith didn't play in high school, said Larson.
Ben Moser led five Warriors in double figures with 18 points. Casey Sussenguth was next with 14 points and nine rebounds. Shawn Neu made three 3-pointers on the way to 13 points. Derek Eisenschenk added 11 points and Tom Boike 10. The Warriors' bench dominated time in the second half.
Erik Vin led the Rams with 18 points and six rebounds.
Ridgewater College 88, A-Ramsey CC 51
Anoka-Ramsey (2-7, 6-17) 28 23 -- 51
Ridgewater (6-2, 14-8) 43 45 -- 88
ANOKA-RAMSEY - 21-65 FG (1-14 3-pt); 8-11 FT; 34 rebounds; 13 fouls ... Scoring: Antonio Tage 9, Cole Alexander 8, JoelHedberg 6, Mohamed Camara 8, Erik Vin 18, Brian Smith 2 ... 3-point shots: Tate 1 ... Rebound leaders: Vin 6 ... Assist leaders: Tate 2, Camara 2 ... Steal leaders: Tate 5
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RIDGEWATER - 35-72 FG (5-22 3-pt);13-17 FT; 50 rebounds; 9 fouls ... Scoring: Shawn Neu 13, Ben Moser 18, Joe Anderson 2, Beau Bredeson 2, Tyler Ray 3, Dan Hennen 3, Chad Mulder 4, Derek Eisenschenk 11, Cory Nietfeld 8, Casey Sussenguth 13, Tom Boike 10 ... 3-point shots: Neu 3, Ray 1, Eisenschenk 1 ... Rebound leaders: Sussenguth 9, Moser 6 ... Assist leaders: Neu 4, Nietfeld 3 ... Steal leaders: Bredeson 5, Nietfeld 3
