Saturday Sections: Top 5 games & the players to watch
In pretty much every sport, anything can happen when the calendar rolls around to playoff time. That’s the fun of it, and we have already seen 7th-seeded Dover-Eyota knock off heavily favored Lake City this week. Some teams are just dangerous, even when they haven’t had a banner year, even when they don’t appear to be a threat to take home a title. Case in point: the Roseville Raiders of section 5AAAA. Roseville is among the teams to see on Saturday as we bring you the top 5 games and players to watch.
People have talked about what a down year Roseville has had. At times the Raiders have seemed out of sync, and struggled to put together a string of strong performances. Although they ended up second in the Suburban East Conference, Roseville was never a threat to beat 17-1 Stillwater and many are writing them off in section play, as well. But here’s the thing: Roseville is still 19-8. The Raiders have won their last seven games in a row and 10 of their last 11. This is a team that no playoff opponent wants to face.
Roseville does not play pretty basketball – far from it! Every time I have seen them play this season against a quality opponent it has seemed like an epic struggle. Wednesday’s first-round section win over Mounds View is a great example. The Raiders couldn’t make a shot of more than 5 feet in the opening 18 minutes and found themselves down by 8 at halftime. But in the second half, the Raiders did what countless Roseville teams have done before: They ground their opponents down into submission.
Roseville held Mounds View without a basket for a stretch of more than 11 minutes as the Raiders gradually fought their way back. They did it with defense and they made their free throws – 13 in 14 tries – to earn a hard-fought 40-36 victory. They’ll need more of the same Saturday against the Centennial Cougars. Nobody epitomizes Roseville’s approach more than senior captain Jayda Johnston Jayda Johnston 6'1" | PF Roseville | 2020 State MN (Valparaiso), a physical forward who gets on opponents nerves and will do whatever it takes to win. Johnston scored 16 points against Mounds View while holding her long-time rival Lindsey Becher Lindsey Becher 6'1" | C Mounds View | 2020 State MN (Concordia-St. Paul) to just 12.
Jayda’s younger sister – 9th grade point guard Drew Johnston Drew Johnston 5'9" | PG Roseville | 2023 State MN – showed how much she has improved since November. Junior post Tamia Ugass Tamia Ugass 6'3" | C Roseville | 2021 State MN , who is Roseville’s leading scorer this season, was in foul trouble from the get-go and spent most of the game on the bench, but Tamia made three crucial free throws in the final 45 seconds to seal the deal.
Full disclosure: I have some personal connections to Roseville, and I always wish them well. But facts are facts and the team is dangerous. Two years ago in section play the Raiders held Park Center phenom Adalia McKenzie Adalia McKenzie 5'10" | CG Park Center | 2021 State #39 Nation MN to just 11 points in a 61-45 victory. Their pre-scouting and game planning is excellent, and their kids are always well-prepared. Roseville has won at least 20 games every year during coach Jeff Crosby’s tenure. If they win Saturday it will be their 20th victory of the season.
The two teams will meet at Anoka High School at 3 p.m. Centennial has a very strong lineup that is anchored by a pair of Division 1 prospects in juniors Jenna Guyer Jenna Guyer 6'2" | C Centennial | 2021 State MN and Jodi Anderson Jodi Anderson 5'11" | CG Centennial | 2021 State MN . Sophomore wing Hannah Herzig Hannah Herzig 6'0" | CG Totino Grace | 2022 State MN is a sharpshooter. Senior Grace Johnson Grace Johnson 5'2" | PG Centennial | 2020 State MN is the point guard while sophomore guard Camille Cummings Camille Cummings 5'8" | CG Centennial | 2022 State MN plays a vital role. Centennial is 20-7 but have struggled a little down the stretch winning just five of their last 10 games. In a single-game match-up with Roseville, however, anything is possible.
Roseville vs Centennial is not the only nice match-up on Saturday. There are great contests across the state in every class. Here are 5 games you might want to watch.
1AAAA (at ROCHESTER MAYO HS)
7:00 p.m. — #2 Rochester Mayo vs #3 New Prague
Both teams have exceeded expectations this year. Mayo is 22-4 and the Spartans are currently riding a 17-game winning streak. Mayo is a very strong squad led by junior post Anna Miller Anna Miller 6'2" | C Rochester Mayo | 2021 State MN , one of the top bigs in the state. Junior guard Lynnsey Hady Lynnsey Hady 5'10" | SG Rochester Mayo | 2021 State MN has had a breakout season. Senior forward Nancy Soro Nancy Soro 5'9" | SF Roch. Mayo | 2020 State MN has had her best year, too, while junior Elli Collins and freshman Hannah Hanson Hannah Hanson 5'9" | CG Rochester Mayo | 2023 State MN have been solid. At 21-5, New Prague is rolling, too. The Trojans only loss in their last 15 games was to St. Michael-Albertville by three points. New Prague is led by seniors Emily Russo Emily Russo 5'11" | C New Prague | 2020 State MN (MSU-Mankato), Amanda Giesen Amanda Giesen 5'10" | PF New Prague | 2020 State MN and Bethany Vasecka Bethany Vasecka 5'10" | CG New Prague | 2020 State MN , who combine for 42 points per game. 8th grader Katie Vasecka is one of the best 2024s in Minnesota.
2AAAA (at CHASKA HS)
1:00 p.m.– #1 Chaska vs #4 Shakopee
Chaska is loaded, led by sophomore forward Mallory Heyer Mallory Heyer 6'1" | PF Chaska | 2022 State #36 Nation MN , who is ranked #3 in the class of 2022. She’s joined by #6 junior Kaylee Van Eps Kaylee Van Eps 5'11" | SF Chaska | 2021 State MN and #3-ranked freshman Kennedy Sanders Kennedy Sanders 5'8" | CG Chaska | 2023 State MN , who is the Hawks’ starting point guard. Top-15 freshman Ashley Schuelke Ashley Schuelke 5'10" | SF Chaska | 2023 State MN has had a terrific winter as has junior guard Kelsey Willems Kelsey Willems 5'8" | CG Chaska | 2021 State MN . Lengthy sophomore Kendall Karrmann has made her mark as a player to watch for the Hawks. The Sabers will field a guard-heavy lineup led by juniors Natalie Holte Natalie Holte 5'6" | PG Shakopee | 2021 State MN and Kelley Brennan Kelley Brennan 5'8" | CG Shakopee | 2021 State MN , who are both scholarship-level prospects from Minnesota Stars DeSart. Sophomores Maya Mitchell Maya Mitchell 5'9" | CG Shakopee | 2022 State MN , Paige Broze Paige Broze 5'8" | CG Shakopee | 2022 State MN and Kate Cordes Kate Cordes 5'7" | CG Shakopee | 2022 State MN play major roles.
3AAA (at ST. CROIX LUTHERAN HS)
1:00 p.m. — #2 St. Croix Lutheran vs #3 St. Paul Como Park
When Como Park was moved to section 3 this year it seemed likely that their path to a potential state tournament berth might travel through West St. Paul where the Crusaders of St. Croix Lutheran do good work. That scenario has come to pass and will offer us one of the more intriguing match-ups of the weekend. Coach Alexis Gray-Lawson’s Cougars are fast, they are feisty and they can put points on the board. Lots of points. Como is led by elite guards Ronnie Porter Ronnie Porter 5'2" | CG Como Park | 2022 State MN (20 points per game) and Kaylynn Asberry Kaylynn Asberry 5'5" | PG Como Park | 2022 State MN (15 ppg), who are among the state’s top 20 sophomores. St. Croix Lutheran has a balanced attack spearheaded by 8th grade sensation Laura Hauge, who is averaging 14 ppg. Juniors Juel Skrien Juel Skrien 5'10" | SG St. Croix Lutheran | 2021 State MN (14 ppg), Mackenna Moon Mackenna Moon 5'7" | CG St. Croix Lutheran | 2021 State MN (12) and Lucia Hauge Lucia Hauge 6'0" | PF St. Croix Lutheran | 2021 State MN (2) combine to play solid team basketball at both ends of the court.
1AA (at MAYO CIVIC AUDITORIUM in ROCHESTER)
4:00 p.m. — #1 Rochester Lourdes vs #5 Stewartville
Private vs public. North vs South. Urban vs Rural. Doctors vs Nurses. You can dream up whatever scenario you’re in the mood for today but the bottom line is this: these two teams from Southeastern Minnesota have a very nice rivalry. Located just 15 miles apart, Lourdes and Stewartville might be a #1 seed vs a #5 but do not count the Tigers out. Lourdes has just two losses and the Eagles are riding a 14-game winning streak. They are led by one of the top players in the country in North Carolina commit Alyssa Ustby Alyssa Ustby 6'2" | CG Rochester Lourdes | 2020 State MN , who’s averaging nearly 28 points per game. Ustby has a solid supporting cast, including top 25 sophomore CJ Adamson CJ Adamson 5'9" | CG Rochester Lourdes | 2022 State MN , who averages 12. Stewartville is anchored by 18 ppg point guard Lily Welch Lily Welch 5'7" | CG Stewartville | 2020 State MN , a 12th-grader who is definitely making the most of her senior season. Junior guard Maia Peterson Maia Peterson 5'7" | PG Stewartville | 2021 State MN is a rock, and freshman Haylie Strum Haylie Strum 5'6" | CG Stewartville | 2023 State MN is one of this year’s most pleasant surprises.
Top photo: Senior forward Jayda Johnston Jayda Johnston 6'1" | PF Roseville | 2020 State MN (Valparaiso) leads Roseville into the section 5AAAA semifinals. (Photo courtesy of StarTribune)