Superlarks clamp down on Awesome Blossoms
Published 10:17 pm Thursday, December 7, 2023
Catelyn Bartlett controls the ball for BP. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Gracie Foster fires out a pass for the Superlarks. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Sienna Fyksen throws a no-look pass. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
BP’s Claire Schwarz drives past GM’s Lauren Queensland. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Grand Meadow’s Lauren Queensland lets a three-pointer fly. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
From left, Grand Meadow’s Rylee Schaufler, Blooming Prairie’s Addison Doocy, GM’s Lauren Queensland, and BP’s Claire Schwarz all fight for a rebound in GM Thursday night. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Ella Smith controls a rebound for BP. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Grand Meadow’s Lexy Foster, left, pulls down a rebound against BP’s Macy Lembke. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Macy Lembke lets a three-pointer fly against Grand Meadow. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
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GRAND MEADOW – The Superlarks used an early second half run to create separation and they let their defense do the rest of the work as they held BP scoreless for a late five-minute stretch in a 57-47 win over Blooming Prairie in a girls basketball game Thursday.
GM sophomore Gracie Foster converted a left-handed lay-up while drawing a foul for a three-point play that put GM up 54-42 with 4:40 left in the game and neither team scored again until BP’s Sienna Fyksen hit a three-pointer to cut the lead to 54-45 with 47 seconds left.
“In the second half we did a much better job of communicating,” Foster said. “We knew where their shooters were and we made sure to keep a hand up on the guards.”
The Superlarks (3-0 overall) jumped out to an early 27-11 lead as Foster scored nine of her 17 points in the game’s first 13 minutes. Foster added three assists and she knocked down two early three-pointers in that early run.
“I’m a lot more confident this year,” Foster said. ”If I see an open shot I’m going to take it and if I see an open lane I’m going to take it.”
BP used three first half three-pointers by Claire Schwarz to storm back into the game and the Awesome Blossoms (3-1 overall) crept within 29-28 when Fyksen hit a three to start the second half.
The rally came after BP had lost starter Shawntee Snyder to an ankle injury in the first few minutes of the game.
“Once they got over the initial shock, I was happy with how they came out,” BP head coach John Worke said. “They showed a lot of heart and soul. But they shot us out of our zone and we were in some different situations.”
GM was able to take control after BP’s run and the Superlarks never surrendered the lead.
Lexy Foster, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds, and Laruen Queensland, who finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and five assists both had big nights for the Superlarks, but junior Rylee Schaufler also was effective without attempting a lot of shots. Schaufler scored seven points, but it was her hustle that gave GM a boost in the paint.
“My goal is to box out, run down the court and get the ball up,” Schaufler said. “I think communication is important. We had to keep their bigs from getting the ball, keep them out of the middle and make them take low percentage shots.”
BP was led by Addison Doocy, who scored 11 points, while grabbing 11 rebounds and Macy Lembke, who scored 10 points, while dishing out four assists.
BP 25 22 – 47
GM 29 27 – 57
GM scoring: Gracie Foster, 17; Lexy Foster, 16; Lauren Queensland, 14; Rylee Schaufler, 7; Grace Soltau, 3
BP scoring: Addison Doocy, 11; Macy Lembke, 10; Claire Schwarz, 9; Sienna Fyksen, 8; Catelyn Bartlett, 3; Ella Smith, 2; Hailey Shumacher, 2; Ells Salinas, 2
