KoMets cool off Packer girls in Section 1AAA quarterfinals
Published 9:21 pm Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Austin’s Addison Walsh takes a running shot against Kasson-Mantorville in the second half Wednesday night in the first round of the Section 1AAA Tournament in Over Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Nora Sand takes a shot over Kasson-Mantorville’s Ella Stoskopf during the second half of a Section 1AAA Tournament game Wednesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Ausitn’s Mackenzie Brede controls the ball late in the second half against Kasson-Mantorville Wednesday night in the first round of the Section 1AAA Tournament in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Ajiem Agwa goes in for a contested shot against Kasson-Mantorville during the first half of a Section 1AAA Tournament game Wednesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Quinn Osgood drives on Kasson-Mantorville’s Delaney Awe during the first half of a Section 1AAA Tournament game Wednesday night in Ove Berven Gym. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Marissa Shute races the ball up the court against Kasson-Mantorville during the first half of a Section 1AAA Tournament in February of 2024 in Packer Gym. Herald file photo
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The No. 4 seeded Austin girls basketball team couldn’t maintain a hot start as the No. 5 KoMets took over down the stretch and won 66-58 in a Section 1AAA Quarterfinal in Ove Berven Gym Wednesday.
KM (15-12 overall) led throughout most of the second half until Austin sophomore Nora Sand tied the game at 51 she swished a three from the top of the key, but KM answered with a 12-2 burst that saw the Packers score just once in a four-minute stretch.
Austin (11-14 overall) used an early 14-0 run to go up 14-4 after Ajiem Agwa hit a three-pointer. Agwa finished with 23 points, four rebounds and four assists and she set a single season scoring record in the loss for AHS, breaking the previous record held by Lisa Bue.
KM had plenty of balance as Makenzie Carrier scored 19 points, Keigan Cummings added 17 and Ella Stoskopf, who gave the Packers problems inside for much of the night, added 13.
“We came out hitting threes and scoring in transition, but we knew Kasson had a big three and they scored a lot of their points,” Austin head coach Eric Zoske said. “I tip my hat to them for coming back in the manner that they did. We only had seven turnovers in the first half and we had 14 steals. They shot the lights out and Carrier was hitting fade aways and side jumps over Marissa, who is a good defender. I’m not sure what else we could do.”
Junior Marissa Shute added 13 points, 10 rebounds and three steals for the Packers and freshman Quinn Osgood had nine points and four steals. Austin gained a lot of experience this season as the team did not have a single senior on the roster and it had just three juniors.
“We’ve had a fighting spirit all year and we didn’t have too many lopsided losses,” Zoske said. “This wasn’t easy what we asked our girls to do; we had eighth graders playing C squad, we had ninth graders starting on varsity and we had sophomore who had zero varsity games before this year start 26 games for us. I’m really proud of them.”
KM 35 31 – 66
Austin 31 27 – 58
Austin scoring: Ajiem Agwa, 23; Marissa Shute, 13; Quinn Osgood, 9; Mackenzie Brede, 4; Addison Walsh, 4; Nora Sand, 3
