Weekly Awards for Week #16
Well, week #16 is pretty special among all the weeks of the basketball season because, for the girls, at least, it is the week in which the 32 state tournament entrants are determined. Here are various standouts for that special…
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Continue ReadingWell, week #16 is pretty special among all the weeks of the basketball season because, for the girls, at least, it is the week in which the 32 state tournament entrants are determined. Here are various standouts for that special week.
Game of the Week: Eastview 40 Apple Valley 25
Eastview struggled to a 14-11 halftime lead, but in the end the Lightning advanced to the state tournament for the 9th time in 11 years…unbeaten and rated #1 in Class AAAA.
Player of the Week: McKenna Hofschild, Prior Lake, 5-3, junior, point guard
You saw our list of 10 contenders earlier. Hofschild was an easy pick even among a truly awesome list. She exceeded even her own lofty standards with 115 points in 3 games, and the Lakers became one of just 3 teams among the 32 state tournament entries to win a pair of upsets to get there.
Breakout Player of the Week: Taylor Schuck, Heritage Christian, freshman, combo guard
Schuck saved the bacon for Heritage on Tuesday, taking over at the point when Taylie Scott rested and/or sat down with fouls, and leading her team out of some rough patches with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 steals. On Thursday, things went more according to Hoyle for the Eagles. Scott scored 27, while Schuck’s line was 5-4-5-1-1. But Schuck has established herself this year as a player that Heritage will be counting on over the next 3 years.
Team of the Week: Hopkins Royals
For Hopkins, 3 losses and a #2 ranking is a bit of a downer. A holiday loss to #1 Eastview especially rankles. But Hopkins showed that they are ready for the state tournament by clobbering 3 section opponents by an average of 86-41.
Breakout Team: (tie), Byron, Mesabi East and Prior Lake
These are the 3 teams out of 32 state tournament entries that won not one but two upsets to get there. #3 seed Byron defeated #2 Rochester Lourdes and #1 Stewartville in Section 1AA. Yokie Lee scored 140 points in 4 section games. #3 Mesabi East defeated #2 Duluth Marshall and #1 Proctor behind guards Ava Hill and Hannah Hannaksula. #3 Prior Lake surprised #2 Eden Prairie and then #1 Minnetonka. It was the state’s only section final played on the home court of the high seed. Prior Lake won 74-71.
Coach of the Week: Chris Whiting, Mesabi East
The Mesabi East Giants got hot at the right time, beating the #1 and #2 seeds in their patch to earn their 1st state tournament berth ever.