D10 | SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2021
GIRLS BASKETBALL
BBE hopes to make some more history
Jaguars are coming off their best season, a second-place finish at state BY TOM ELLIOTT
Along the way they won the Central Minnesota West Central Tribune Conference title with a BELGRADE — Bel14-0 record and took the grade-Brooten-Elrosa is Section 5A championcoming off the best girls basketball season in school ship while posting a 23-2 record. history. It’s the stuff by which After qualifying for state highlight videos are made. in 2020, the Jaguars did The bad news is the Jaga whole lot more than uars lost almost everyone that in 2021, finishing from that squad, including second in Class A at the Target Center. BBE lost to West Central Tribune Minneota 48-45 in a great All-Area player Allisa Knight, a 5-foot-11 forchampionship final after knocking off West Central ward who is now playing Area 76-71 and Sleepy Eye at Minnesota State-Moorhead and was the leader of St. Mary’s 51-50 in the a talented Class of 2021. state tournament’s first two rounds. The good news? There’s
plenty of remaining talent, though less experienced, to make BBE a top contender in the conference and section again. As Kristina Anderson approaches her 10th season with a career 172-88 record, the Jaguars should still be strong. But it’s a young roster. There are two seniors, Shelby Anderson, a 5-5 guard, and Kailey Fischer, a 5-9 forward. There are five juniors, including Tiyana Schwinghammer (5-10, f), Allison Dingmann (5-10, f), Ella Halvorson (5-10, f), Abby Berge (5-10, g) and Harley Roering (5-6, g). Berge is definitely a player to watch. She’s perhaps the
top scorer in the West Central Tribune area and a 3-point sharpshooter. Sophomores Brooklyn Fischer (5-10, f), Anna Jaeger (5-5, g), Presley Detloff (5-5, g/f); Faith Radermacher (5-5, g) and Grace Jackson (5-2, g) also could contribute, as could ninth-grader Bree Theischafer (5-4, g). The Jaguars are off to a good start. They opened with a 70-45 victory at Melrose, then beat Pine River-Backus, a Section 5A opponent, 77-58. There’ll be a test Dec. 10 when they play Osakis in Belgrade. If it call comes together, BBE could be making some more memories.
Patrick Bernadeau / West Central Tribune
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa’s Harley Roering dribbles toward the baseline during a non-conference game against Minneota on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021 at Minneota High School.
Bulldogs feeling more comfortable for Year 2 Paynesville returns five starters and head coach Jake Heimerman
PAYNESVILLE — Everything feels like it should be better for the Paynesville girls basketball team, from a coach who is now back for a second season after a hiatus to having all five starters return. “(It’s) Year 2 back with the program for myself and (it’s nice) finally having a full off-season for preparation before the season,” said head coach Jake Heimerman, who is in his sixth year as the Bulldogs’ coach with a 42-69 record. Returning starters include seniors Mikayla
Roberg, Aubrie Spanier and Maddie Hentges, junior Katie Uhlenkamp and sophomore Emma Flanders. Roberg is a 5-foot-4 guard. Spanier is a 5-5 guard. Hentges is a 5-7 guard. Uhlenkamp, a 5-11 forward, was an All-Central Minnesota Conference pick last season when the Bulldogs went 5-11, including 5-8 in the conference. Flanders is a 5-10 forward. Uhlenkamp averaged 10.4 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, leading Paynesville in scoring. Hentges averaged 7.7
ppg and Flanders was at 3.6 ppg. “(Flanders was a) firsttime starter last season (and) came a long way in the off-season along with growth in height and muscle,” Heimerman said. He’s also high on Grace Roberg, a 5-7 freshman point guard. “(She’s) everywhere on the court defensively (and) has the ability to lead the team in 3-pionters, assists and steals,” Heimerman said. All involved must replace Brynn Johnson, who was
second on the team in scoring last season. Heimerman’s assistants are Brad Skoglund and Kendra Miller. Skoglund is Paynesville’s legendary baseball coach who also was the head girls basketball coach at one time. “We have a tough non-conference schedule ahead,” Heimermann said. “We will be the team that looks to out-work you and make every shot difficult.” Paynesville has started 0-2, with a 62-36 loss to Osakis and a 60-39 loss to Litchfield.
Best of luck this winter to area teams.
Joe Brown / West Central Tribune
Paynesville head coach Jacob Heimerman gives instruction to Mikayla Roberg during the first half at a Central Minnesota Conference game against Holdingford on Feb. 25, 2021 at Paynesville.
