Blue Earth knocks off Rebels
Published 9:55 pm Friday, March 4, 2011
Southland's Madilyn Schmitz takes the ball past Blue Earth Area's Camille Driscoll during the second half of their Section 2AA North Division semifinal game Friday night in Adams. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
ADAMS — Things were going good for the Rebels early, but eventually Blue Earth’s one-two punch got going and Southland’s season came to an end in a Section 2AA North Division girls basketball semifinal game Friday.
The No. 2 seeded Rebels (18-9 overall) led by as many as nine in the first half but ended up on the short end of a 62-54 score.
“They’re a good team and our girls have nothing to be ashamed of. (Blue Earth) is in the section championship just about every year,” Southland head coach Bob Sheehan said. “We wanted to go farther and we figured we could. We just didn’t get the bounces tonight.”
Southland's Lindsey Bottema is fouled as she pulls up for a lay-up during the first half of their Section 2AA North Division semifinal game Friday night in Adams. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland led 24-15 after sophomore guard Jana Schammel, who scored 14 points, hit a jumper and a deep three and Madilyn Schmitz hit a free throw with four minutes left in the first half.
That’s when Blue Earth’s sophomore forward Krista Hassing took over as she went on a personal 10-1 run to tie the game. Hassing finished with 22 points and Blue Earth’s point guard Ashley Olson added 14 points.
“We knew they were the ones we needed to stop,” Sheehan said. “We did well on them at the start and then all of the sudden they got a little confidence going and we just couldn’t do anything to get a stop.”
The Rebels led by as many as four early in the second half, but the Bucs used a 11-0 run to take a 51-40 lead with 8:28 left in the game.
Jenny Smith started the run with a three and Olson capped the run with a breakaway lay-up that lead to a three-point play.
Southland will graduate just three seniors and only one starter.
“(This is) something our girls will learn from and hopefully they’ll come back stronger,” Sheehan said. “But they can’t be more hungry because they played well this year.”
Blue Earth 24 38 — 64
Southland 26 28 — 54
Southland scoring: Jana Schammel, 14; Brandi Schammel, 11; Madilyn Schmitz, 7; Lindsey Bottema, 7; Haley Kirkpatrick, 7; Kelli Smith, 5; Breanne Vogel, 2; free throws: 54 percent (13-for-24); rebounds: 27 (Kirkpatrick, 9); turnovers: 21
Blue Earth scoring: Krista Hassing, 22; Ashley Olson, 14; Jenny Smith, 8; Camille Driscoll, 7; Sydney Ristau, 5; Sara Warmka, 4; Rylee Wagner, 2; free throws: 45 percent (20-for-44); turnovers: 9
