Eighth graders aren’t supposed to be unfazed and effective against a Big Nine power. But Austin twins Hope Dudycha and Emma Dudycha aren’t your typical eighth graders.

Both of the Dudycha twins had a big impact for the Packer girls basketball team, Monday, as Austin beat Red Wing 69-56 in Ove Berven Gym.

Hope piled on 22 points and grabbed five rebounds and three steals for the Packers (10-9 overall, 9-7 Big Nine) and Emma finished with 10 points, hitting six straight free throws to help Austin seal the game.

Emma moved into the starting lineup with Hope on Monday and she said that boosted her confidence.

“Tonight was good. It seems like Hope is always there for me and she knows where I’m at on the court,” Emma said. “We’ve been playing together forever. We started playing basketball in our driveway with our dad.”

The twin sisters helped force 20 turnovers from the Wingers and they also handled the ball down the stretch for Austin. Head coach Eric Zoske said they have played well beyond their years this season.

“If you’ve never been to one of our games and you hear two eighth graders in the starting lineup you think ‘what is this coach doing?’ But in about thirty seconds you realize these girls can play,” Zoske said. “You can’t explain it. They’re incredible for their age and their size. It’s unreal.”

Austin senior Paiton Schwab hit a three-pointer that gave Austin the lead for good at 38-36 with 10 minutes left in the game. Hope extended that lead to 43-36 when she converted a running spin lay-up for a three-point play and added two free throws on Austin’s next possession.

Schwab credited the team for staying within their roles in Monday’s win and she credited the Dudycha’s for growing up fast on the court.

“It’s crazy. I call them my kids,” Schwab said. “Even from last year to this year it’s crazy how much they’ve grown as basketball players. They’re not selfish with the ball, they play a team game and they have a lot of court smarts. I’m excited to come back in a couple of years and see where they are.”

While they’ve had some big games on for the Packers, Hope and Emma are staying level headed. They’ve simply gone out and played the game they love on a nightly basis and they’re going to keep playing hard for as long as they can.

“It’s been fun and it’s going to be sad when it’s over. You can’t let the nerves get to you,” Hope said. “I think we’re bonding with the team really well. They’ve accepted us and they’re letting us play with them. It wasn’t easy losing Nicole [Justice] and Elyse [Hebrink] and we’ve stepped into their spots.” 

The Packers lost to the Wingers 68-43 Dec. 19, but this time around Austin switched to a three-two zone defense after it struggled in a man-to-man defense in the first meeting.

Austin’s zone defense kept the Wingers (15-4 overall, 12-4 Big Nine) on the perimeter, where they struggled to find their range.

“We’ve never even practiced the three-two before,” Zoske said. “For them to learn on the fly, they did a great job.” 

RW 19  37  —  56

Austin 23  46  —  69

Austin scoring: Hope Dudycha, 22; Kyra Walters, 13; Emma Dudycha, 10; Emily Hegna, 6; Abby Lewis, 6; Erica Lundberg, 5; Kiwi VanZant, 4; Paiton Schwab, 3; free throws: 79 percent (27-for-34); rebounds: 37 (Walters, 8); turnovers: 13