LP’s big lead slips away; Wildcats use 17-0 run to end Athletics’ season
Published 1:51 pm Saturday, March 5, 2016
Lyle-Pacelli’s Kendal Truckenmiller pulls in a lose ball in the corner during the second half of the Section 1A West championship against Goodhue Saturday in the Mayo Civic Center. Eric johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
ROCHESTER – The Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team was in perfect position to get back to the Section 1A title game when things fell completely apart.
LP watched a 15-point lead disappear in eight minutes and Goodhue walked away with a 43-42 win in the Section 1A West title game in Mayo Civic Center Saturday.
The Wildcats, who ended the game on a 17-0 run, tied the game at 42-42 when Sydney Lodermeier scored on a put-back with eight seconds left. LP threw the ensuing in-bounds pass away and then Goodhue’s Megan Ryan was fouled at half court with four seconds left in the game. Ryan connected on the second free throw and LP missed a full court shot as time expired.
Lyle-Pacelli’s Brooke Walter drives past Goodhue’s Emily Benrud during the first half of the Section 1A West championship Saturday at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
LP didn’t score a point in the last eight minutes of the game as it looked to run clock and hold onto its lead. LP senior Sarah Holtz, who had 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals, said it was tough for the Athletics when the Goodhue picked up its intensity.
“I think we’d been stalling so long and we kind of lost our composure. They were really aggressive and I don’t think we were really quite prepared for that,” Holtz said. “The atmosphere and everything kind of got to us. We were still trying to fight it, but something changes and no matter what you do, it’s really hard to turn it back around. We were still trying, but the tide had changed.”
The Athletics (25-4 overall) led 42-32 with 3:22 left in the game when their 6-4 rim protector Kristi Fett, who had six points, six rebounds, and three assists, fouled out. The Wildcats (26-4 overall) took advantage by outscoring LP 11-0 in the final minute and a half of the game. LP didn’t get one free throw off in that stretch as it struggled with turnovers.
“I’ve never seen anything domino like that as far as every single possible thing going right [for Goodhue],” LP head coach Justin Morris said. “And ones. Loose balls. Calls. Free throws. It just snow balled. We had control of the game and were in position to win the game and we let it get away. It’s on us.”
LP jumped out to an 8-2 lead when Courtney Walter and Brooke Walter hit a pair of back-to-back threes and LP held a 28-15 advantage at halftime. The Wildcats didn’t close within single digits in the second half until Ryan hit a three-pointer to make it 42-35 with 1:23 left.
Lyle-Pacelli’s Bethany Strouf tries to work out of a trap in the second half of the Section 1A West championship game against Goodhue at Mayo Civic Center Saturday. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“The last two minutes doesn’t definite this game and it doesn’t define our season or our program,” Morris said. “At the end of the day I’m really proud of these kids and these seniors built this program into what it is. We competed hard for 34 minutes and it was a miracle [for Goodhue].”
LP will miss the contributions of Courtney, who finishes as a 1,000-point scorer, and Holtz, who was a 2,000-point scorer along with 1,000 career rebounds. Holtz will play basketball and compete in track and field at Luther College next year.
“It’s hard to look back on it. That’s just how it’s been for us,” Holtz said. “We improved every year and we did things we never thought were possible. It’s hard to understand how far we’ve come and it’s hard to put perspective on it.”
LP 28 14 – 42
Goodhue 15 28 – 43
LP scoring: Sarah Holtz, 17; Courtney Walter, 9; Brooke Walter, 7; Kristi Fett, 6; Bethany Strouf, 3; free throws: 40 percent (4-for-10); rebounds: 28 (Holtz, 8); turnovers: 17
