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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
Lyle-Pacelli Girls Basketball
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
Keeping an eye on the prize In its first state appearance, the Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team will have to maintain control against a seasoned Mountain Iron-Buhl squad
By Rocky Hulne
Lyle-Pacelli’s Kendal Truckenmiller works inside against Fillmore Central’s Kaitlynn Aug in the first half of the Section 1A championship game in Rochester. Herald file photo
The Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team is going to have to control the ball when it plays Mountain Iron-Buhl in the Class A state quarterfinals in Mariucci Arena at 5 p.m. Thursday. The Rangers (28-2 overall) outscored their opponents 81.4 to 35 points per game, and they utilize a full court trapping defense that can turn close games into blowouts in a heartbeat. “They’re an up-tempo team that likes to play fast,” LP head coach Justin Morris said. “It’s kind of like how we played the last couple years in terms of trapping and pressing, and multiply it by ten. That’s what they are. Against 98 percent of the teams they play that works. The challenge for us is to keep our composure.” MIB, which is playing in its fifth straight Class A state tournament, is led by a pair of sophomore guards in Chelsea Mason, who averaged 22 points per game and Mya Buffetta. Morris said those two players have garnered a lot of attention around the state of Minnesota, and he’s hoping the Athletics can slow them down. The Rangers have a lot of state tournament experience, but they were knocked off in the first round the last two seasons. This is LP’s first ever trip to the state tournament and
LP’S TOP 5 GAMES OF THE YEAR Dec. 30: Maranatha Christian 90, Lyle-Pacelli 89 The Athletics held a 14 point lead against one of the top teams in the state, but the girls couldn't hold on as their 32-game regular season winning streak was snapped. Sarah Holtz had 28 points for LP, which battled foul trouble late in the game. Feb. 3: LP 65, Fillmore Central 27 Lyle-Pacelli senior Madison Truckenmiller poured in 24 points and grabbed six rebounds as she reached the 1,000-point career milestone in the win. Truckenmiller joined her teammates Courtney Walter and Sarah Holtz on the 1,000-point scoring list. Feb. 17: LP 49, Blooming Prairie 28 The Athletics closed out their regular season with a big statement win over the team that ended their season last year. LP freshman Brooke Walter went 4-for-5 on 3-pointers as she tallied 15 points in the win. March 3: LP 55, Southland 40 Courtney Walter showed how badly she wanted to keep her junior season alive as she poured in 19 points and propelled the Athletics past the Rebels after LP started the game down 9-2. LP had all five of its starters score at least seven points as it avenged an earlier loss to Southland. March 7: LP 61, Goodhue 47 If there was any team that could intimidate LP in the Section 1A West, it was the No. 5 ranked Wildcats, but the Athletics played a fearless style of basketball and led for much of the night in what turned out to be a lopsided upset win. Holtz poured in 20 points and Brooke Walter had 18 points and three assists.
Guard Courtney Walter nerves could be an issue, especially early on. “There’s no way you can simulate a state tournament,” Morris said. “With them being the higher seed and lost in the first round of the state tourna-
ment the last two years, there’s probably more pressure on them, and we probably come in as the underdog. For one of the few times this year we’re going to come in with ... not a lot of pressure on us.”
LP continues on 4
Lyle-Pacelli Girls Basketball
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
Stephen-Argyle Central (23-5) 11 a.m., Thursday Mariucci Arena, University of Minnesota
#1 Maranatha Christian (27-3)
Noon, Friday Williams Arena, University of Minnesota
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
Class A Minnesota State Girls Basketball Tournament
Noon, Saturday Williams Arena, University of Minnesota
#5 Minneota (27-4) 1 p.m., Thursday Mariucci Arena, University of Minnesota
#4 Browerville (28-1)
March 19-21
Springfield (24-4) 3 p.m., Thursday Mariucci Arena, University of Minnesota
#2 Ada-Borup (29-0)
2 p.m., Friday Williams Arena, University of Minnesota
Lyle-Pacelli (25-3)
CHAMPIONSHIP
5 p.m., Thursday Mariucci Arena, University of Minnesota
#3 Mountain Iron-Buhl (28-2)
SEMIFINALS QUARTERFINALS Loser Semifinal 1
Maranatha Christian
Mountain Iron-Buhl
Browerville
Springfield
Ada-Borup
Minneota
Stephen-Argyle
Record: 25-3 QRF Ranking: 9 Points per game: 65 Points allowed per game: 36.3 How they got to state: Beat Fillmore Central 47-36 Record: 28-2 QRF Ranking: 2 Points per game: 81.4 Points allowed per game: 35 How they got to state: Beat Cromwell 59-42
10 a.m., Saturday Concordia University, St. Paul
Loser Semifinal 2
Record: 24-4 QRF Ranking: 12 Points per game: 69.5 Points allowed per game: 57.5 How they got to state: Beat Mankato Loyola 54-53
THIRD PLACE Stay on top of the action. Follow sportswriter Rocky Hulne and photographer Eric Johnson on Twitter @EricJohnsonADH
Lyle-Pacelli
@RockyHulneADH
Record: 27-4 QRF Ranking: 7 Points per game: 68.4 Points allowed per game: 44.9 How they got to state: Beat Wabasso 66-47
Record: 27-3 QRF Ranking: 1 Points per game: 86.6 Points allowed per game: 59.1 How they got to state: Beat Legacy Christian 66-35 Record: 28-1 QRF Ranking: 5 Points per game: 74.9 Points allowed per game: 48.3 How they got to state: Beat BelgradeBrooten-Elrosa 52-50 Record: 29-0 QRF Ranking: 8 Points per game: 73.9 Points allowed per game: 33 How they got to state: Beat Brandon/ Evansville 54-31
Record: 23-5 QRF Ranking: 13 Points per game: 53 Points allowed per game: 41 How they got to state: Beat ClearbrookGonvick 61-31
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
Class A rundown
Holtz holds the line
Below is a preview of the other Class A quarterfinal matchups: • (Section 8) Stephen-Argyle Central (235) vs. (No. 1 Seed-Section 4) Maranatha Christian Academy, Brooklyn Park (27-3): Stephen-Argyle Central is making its debut tournament appearance. The Storm finished the season unranked in the final Minnesota Basketball News (MBN) poll. Maranatha Christian Academy enters ranked No. 2 by MBN. The Mustangs, champions in 2011 and 2012, are making their sixth consecutive and overall appearance. They fell in the quarterfinals last year.
LP junior leads with energy Story by Rocky Hulne, Herald file photo
• (No. 5 Seed-Section 3) Minneota (27-4) vs. (No. 4 Seed-Section 5) Browerville (28-1): Last year’s runner-up Minneota is making its fifth consecutive and sixth overall appearance. The Vikings won a previous title in 2013 and are the No. 4-ranked team in the final MBN poll. The Tigers of Browerville, ranked No. 6 by MBN, are making their second consecutive and third overall appearance. In 2014, Browerville lost in the quarterfinal round.
LP’s Sarah Holtz goes up for a layup against Fillmore Central in the Section 1A championship game.
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hen the Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team needs that extra push of motivation, they know exactly where to find it. All season long LP junior Sarah Holtz has brought a bulk of energy to every game and she’s provided the life blood to a squad that plays with intensity every night. “The thing I’m most proud of her is she’s always such a high energy kid,” LP head coach Justin Morris said of Holtz. “You never question her attitude or how hard she’s working and that holds everyone accountable.” Holtz, who qualified for the Class A
• (Section 2) Springfield (24-4) vs. (No. 2 Seed-Section 6) AdaBorup (29-0): Unranked Springfield is making its fourth overall appearance and first since 2007. Ada-Borup enters the tournament undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the final MBN poll. It is the fourth consecutive and eighth overall appearance for the Cougars, who lost in the quarterfinal round last year. Ada-Borup won previous championships in 2008 and 2009. —Source: Mesabi Daily News/Associated Press
“Coach always makes a point that you want to represent who you are as a player every night and that’s the kind of the mentality I go with.” — Sarah Holtz state long jump last season, brings a lot of athleticism to the table, and she’s also worked on developing a solid jump shot to compliment her ability to get to the basket. Holtz said she’s able to find energy in every single game, because she doesn’t want anyone to see her at less than her best. “Coach always makes a point that you want to represent who you are as a player every night and that’s kind of the mentality I go with,” Holtz said. “I don’t want somebody to come to one game and not have me play well and that’s what they think of me. I want to play well every night.” Holtz has averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds a game during LP’s playoff run. Morris said she’s been crucial to the team all season. “She’s a flat out superstar,” Morris said. “She can do it all. She can rebound, she can run the floor, she can attack the rim and she can stretch the floor and shoot it.” Holtz credited her teammates with helping her keep her energy up during the season and she’s ecstatic to be playing in the Class A state girls basketball tournament for the first time. “It’s still a little bit surreal, but we’re starting to realize that we’re going to the state tournament and we’re going with hopes to win,” Holtz said. “We’ve moved on to the next step.”
LP: Team expecting a fast-paced game with Rangers From Page 2 LP junior Sarah Holtz said the Athletics are starting to get over the shock of making it to the state tournament, and they’re ready to focus on playing the Rangers. “We’re expecting a very fastpaced game with a very tough press,” she said. ”They play a very similar style to us, and it’s going to come down to who makes plays every possession. It’ll be very beneficial to slow the game down. When we get worked up we can take deep breath and run our offense.” The Athletics had a JV team that went 19-0 this season and they’ll bring back much of their roster next season. But Morris does not want his team feeling complacent
“You can’t take anything for granted and you have to take advantage of the opportunity thats right in front of your face.” — Justin Morris LP head coach heading into Thursday’s game. He wants them to know that nothing is a given as far as the fu-
ture of the squad goes. “You can’t take anything for granted, and you have to take advantage of the opportunity that’s right in front of your face,” Morris said. “You can’t assume anything. There’s been several programs that have gone to a state tournament and thought they had good opportunities to go again, and never gone again.” The winner of the LP-MIB game will take on the winner of Ada-BorupSpringfield 2 p.m. Friday at Williams Arena.
Lyle-Pacelli’s Bethany Strouf celebrates after coming out late in the Section 1A championship against Fillmore Central Friday night at Mayo Civic Center in Rochester. Herald file photo
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUSTIN DAILY HERALD
Lyle-Pacelli Girls Basketball
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
The Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team celebrates as the final seconds tick away in the Section 1A championship against Fillmore Central. LEFT: Lyle-Pacelli’s Brooke Walter drives around Goodhue’s Haley Lexvold during the second half of the Section 1A West championship game. Herald file photos
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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE AUSTIN DAILY HERALD