Despite a five-minute scoring drought in the second quarter, Harris-Lake Park pulled away from Ventura to cap an undefeated season with a 63-24 win in the Cornbelt Conference. The sixth-ranked Wolves, who had already clinched a second-straight league crown, ended the night with four players at ten points or better. Eli Ihnen led the way with 18 points and Brady Nissen tallied thirteen points. HLP went 20-0 this winter, and will not play again until they open Class 1A District play against either Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire or Clay Central-Everly. Q102 will have coverage from Lake Park on February 16.
Click here for postgame comments from coach Jeff Sohn.
In a preview of that Class 1A opener between GT/RA and CCE, the Raiders prevailed on Tuesday night by a 43-40 margin to sweep the season series. GT/RA ends the conference slate at 5-7 and takes a 5-14 mark to Newell-Fonda for the regular season finale on Friday. The Mavericks end the season at 5-15.
Some hot shooting behind the arc put the Spencer Tigers out in front in the first half Tuesday, however, Spirit Lake used a patient attack and a 14-8 third quarter to seize a 51-42 road win in the Lakes Conference. The Indians, who hit 15-of-21 free throws in the game, had three players score in double figures. Sawyer Harms dropped in 15 points, Wes Bergquist tallied thirteen points, and Paul Brown registered ten. Michael Gabhart came off the bench to bury four 3-pointers en route to 14 points for the Tigers, who also got ten from Blake Seier. Spencer ends the conference season at 6-8, and will put an 8-11 record on the line Thursday when OA-BCIG comes to town. Spirit Lake improves to 8-5 in the Lakes and travels to Storm Lake on Friday to conclude the league schedule on KUOO.
Click here for the postgame interview with Indians coach Nate Loenser.
Emmetsburg went wire-to-wire for a 68-41 Lakes Conference win over Cherokee on Tuesday. Jake Jackson poured in 19 points and Marcus Akridge finished with 16 points. Eric Wilkie led the Braves with 15 points, as they finish winless in 14 conference games this winter. Emmetsburg, winners of five straight, will put a 6-7 mark on the line Thursday when LeMars comes to town. Y100 will have the coverage.
Within a dozen points at the half, Estherville-Lincoln Central fell to Western Christian on Tuesday, 67-28. The Midgets, who received nine points from Evan Hansen, end the regular season at 7-15 overall and 3-11 in the Lakes. They host NSK/AR on Monday in the Class 2A District tournament.
Also in the Lakes, LeMars moves to within a game of a perfect conference season with an 84-62 triumph at Storm Lake.
Facing a double-digit deficit after the first quarter, Okoboji was unable to recover against top-ranked MOC-Floyd Valley and eventually fell by a 66-31 margin in Milford. The Dutch, who clinched the outright Siouxland Conference title with the win, were led by Daniel Jansen’s 17 points, while two others reached double figures. At 19-0, MOC-Floyd Valley closes out the regular season at Sioux Center on Friday. The Pioneers, behind ten points from Keith Oskvig, fall to 1-16 in conference play. Okoboji will travel to Sibley-Ocheyedan on Thursday for the regular season finale.
Click here for the postgame interview with coach Ryan Paulsen.
The rest of the Siouxland saw fifth-ranked Boyden-Hull win at home over Sibley-Ocheyedan, 74-57. Central Lyon got by George-Little Rock, 54-48. Sioux Center nearly reached the century mark in a high-scoring 99-78 defeat of Rock Valley.
Elsewhere, Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn fell for the second time to rival South O’Brien, losing at home 72-53 in the War Eagle Conference. The Hawks went 8-13 this season and 5-7 in the league. They play at George-Little Rock on Monday to open Class 2A District play. And Sioux Central came up just short in a 46-43 loss to Newell-Fonda.
