Boys basketball roundup: Willmar Cardinals claim another home win, 68-56

Feb. 28—WILLMAR — The Willmar boys basketball team closed out its home regular-season schedule with a 68-56 victory Tuesday over Fergus Falls at the Big Red Gym.

The Cardinals shot well, making 22 of 43 field-goal attempts, 51.2%. They made 40% of their free throws, 6 of 15, and shot 78.3% from the free-throw line, 18 of 23.

Willmar also out-rebounded the Otters, 32-22.

Fergus Falls shot 45.5%, making 20 of 44 attempts. The Otters were 11 of 21 from the free-throw line, 52.4%.

Simon Radermacher and Sam Raitz led the Cardinals with 15 points apiece. Blake Schoolmeester had 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocked shots.

Henry Bethel led the Otters with 23 points, four assists and three steals. Ryan Hirst added 16 points and six rebounds.

Fergus Falls is 4-10 in the Central Lakes Conference. Willmar is 3-12 in CLC play.

Willmar wraps up its regular season at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Sauk Rapids.

Fergus Falls (6-18) 24 32 — 56

Willmar (10-15) 30 38 — 68

FERGUS FALLS — Scoring: Henry Bethel 23, Micah Johnson 5, Joshua Sternberg 6, Erik Hanson 1, Ryan Hirst 16, Hayden Knick 3, Jaydon Manteufel 2 ... 3-point shots: Bethel 3, Johnson 1, Knick 1 ... Rebound leader: Hirst 6 ... Assist leader: Bethel 4 ... Steal leader: Bethel 3 ... Block leader: Hirst 1

WILLMAR — Scoring: Jacob Streed 6, Max Mobley 7, Nathan Marthaler 2, Simon Radermacher 15, Will Sportel 2, Blake Schoolmeester 13, Khalid Muhumed 8, Sam Raitz 15 ... 3-point shots: Radermacher 3, Schoolmeester 2, Muhumed 1 ... Rebound leaders: Mobley 9, Schoolmeester 8, Muhumed 7 ... Assist leaders: Mobley 5, Schoolmeester 3 ... Steal leaders: streed 3, Radermacher 3 ... Block leader: Schoolmeester 2

Aeden Anderson had 17 points to lead New London-Spicer past Rockford at New London in the Wildcats' regular-season finale.

Both teams wind up with 8-6 records in the Wright County West.

Grant Paffrath added 11 points and Brycen Christensen had seven points, 13 rebounds and six blocked shots.

Blake Johnson had 18 points and Henry Skinner 14 for the Rockets.

NLS begins Section 3AA-North play against West Central at 7 p.m. Saturday at Barrett.

Rockford (15-10) 18 32 — 50

NLS (14-12) 29 26 — 55

ROCKFORD — Scoring: Braden Blanchard 10, Blake Johnson 18, Tristin Scripture 3, Henry Skinner 14, Cole Tauber 5 ... 3-point shots: Johnson 1, Scripture 1, Skinner 2, Tauber 1 ... Rebound leaders: Blanchard 7, Ty Kulavik 7 ... Assist leader: n/a ... Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a

NLS — Scoring: Aedan Andresen 17, Brycen Christensen 7, Mason Delzer 6, Nixon Harrier 4, Paul Meier 8, Grant Paffrath 11, Gabe Rohman 2 ... 3-point shots: Paffrath 1 ... Rebound leaders: Christensen 13, Andresen 7, Rohman 6 ... Assist leaders: Christensen 2, Paffrath 2 ... Steal leaders: Andresen 2, Christensen 2, Delzer 2, Rohman 2 ... Block leader: Christensen 6

BBE is on a four-game win streak after beating Kimball in a Central Minnesota Conference game at Kimball.

Luke Dingmann led the Jaguars in every category with 22 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block. Brady Schwinghammer hit six 3-pointers in an 18-point effort. Kaden Pieper added 17 points for BBE.

Owen Mortenson led the Cubs with 17 points.

BBE is 12-2 in the CCM while Kimball falls to 4-10.

BBE plays in its regular-season finale against Hancock at 7 p.m. Friday at Brooten.

BBE (21-4) 58 21 — 79

Kimball (8-17) 34 25 — 59

BBE — Scoring: Kaden Pieper 17, Hayden Sobiech 6, Tanner Shelton 3, Sam Mastey 2, Luke Illies 3, Luke Dingmann 22, Brady Schwinghammer 18, Jamison Reed 5, Jordan Herickhoff 3 ... 3-point shots: Pieper 1, Illies 1, Dingmann 1, Schwinghammer 6, Herickhoff 1 ... Rebound leader: Dingmann 10 ... Assist leader: Dingmann 6 ... Steal leader: Dingmann 4 ... Block leader: Dingmann 1

KIMBALL — Scoring: Josh Witte 3, Peyton Hooper 4, Owen Mortenson 17, Carson Otto 3, Austin Schindler 10, Andray Stang 3, Jed Spaulding 8, Evan Powell 9, Andrin Huber 2 ... 3-point shots: Witte 1, Mortenson 2, Otto 1, Stang 1 ... Rebound leader: Spaulding 9 ... Assist leader: Three with 3 ... Steal leader: Mortenson 6 ... Block leader: Powell 1

Max Athmann's 21 points helped Paynesville to a win in its regular-season finale over Holdingford at Paynesville.

The Bulldogs are 11-3 in the Central Minnesota Conference at 10-3. Holdingford drops to 3-11.

Grayson Fuchs (11), Izaak Schultz (11) and Gus Johnson (10) also finished in double figures for the Bulldogs.

Jeffrey Hall led the Huskers with 13 points.

Paynesville begins Section 3AA-North against Litchfield at 7 p.m. Saturday at Paynesville.

Holdingford (6-17) 28 27 — 55

Paynesville (20-6) 39 36 — 75

HOLDINGFORD — Scoring: Jeffrey Hall 13, Brandon Hall 2, Lucas Provo 12, Tanner Tomasek 1, Dawson Hofer 10, Ryder Peterson 5, Connor Breth 9, Devon Engebretson 3 ... 3-point shots: n/a ... Rebound leader: n/a ... Assist leader: n/a ... Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a

PAYNESVILLE — Scoring: Izaak Schultz 11, Brayden Pung 4, Gus Johnson 10, Grayson Fuchs 11, Max Athmann 21, Abe Brunner 5, Bryce VanderBeek 5, Blayke Pung 8 ... 3-point shots: n/a ... Rebound leader: n/a ... Assist leader: n/a ... Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a

Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City closed out the regular season with a convincing Central Minnesota Conference win at Maple Lake.

The Falcons (11-13, 5-8 CMC) are the No. 7 seed in the Section 3AA-North tournament. They take on No. 2 Eden Valley-Watkins at 7 p.m. Saturday in Eden Valley.

Isaac Post had 16 points and five assists and Nathan Wieberdink added 16 points, seven rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals as MACCRAY rolled to victory at Clara City.

Sawyer Janssen contributed 12 points and 12 rebounds and Jordan Warne scored 11 points for the Wolverines, who shot 46%, making 32 of 70 shots.

MACCRAY plays Cedar Mountain at 7 p.m. Thursday at Morgan.

Ortonville (0-26) 19 24 — 43

MACCRAY (11-13) 43 36 — 79

ORTONVILLE — Stats not available

MACCRAY — Scoring: Matt Wadsworth 3, Isaac Post 16, Riley Roskens 4, Willie Miller 8, Sawyer Janssen 12, Nathan Wieberdink 16, Xavier Noble 2, Jordan Warne 11, Jase Dirksen 2, Grayson Ahrenholz 2, Juan Del Bosque 3 ... 3-point shots: Post 1, Roskens 1, Miller 2, Del Bosque 1 ... Rebound leaders: Janssen 12, Warne 10, Wieberdink 7 ... Assist leaders: Wadsworth 6, Post 5, Janssen 3, Ahrenholz 3 ... Steal leader: Wadsworth 2 ... Block leaders: Janssen 4, Wieberdink 4

Kyle Mages scored 17 points, Stewart Jones had 11 points and Grant Mages chipped in with 11 as Osakis prevailed over Minnewaska at Glenwood.

Hunter Kloos scored 21 points for the Lakers, PJ Johnson added 11 points, four assists and two steals and Tenzin Dahl had 10 points.

Minnewaska begins Section 3AA-North play against Morris/Chokio-Alberta at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Osakis (19-6) 36 30 — 66

Minnewaska (1-24) 18 28 — 46

OSAKIS — Scoring: Stewart Jones 13, Grant Mages 11, Seth Staloch 4, Isaac Maddock 8, Kyle Mages 17, Andrew Imdieke 4, Mekai Hoelscher 9 ... 3-point shots: Hoelscher 3, Imdieke 1, Maddock 2, G. Mages 1, K. Mages 1, Jones 1 ... Rebound leader: n/a ... Assist leader: n/a ... Steal leader: n/a ... Block leader: n/a

MINNEWASKA — Scoring: PJ Johnson 11, Dylan Alexander 2, Hunter Kloos 21, Tenzin Dahl 10, Marc Gruber 2 ... 3-point shots: Johnson 1, Kloos 4, Dahl 1 ... Rebound leader: Alexander 6 ... Assist leader: Johnson 4 ... Steal leader: Johnson 2, Alex Panitzke 2, Alexander 2 ... Block leader: none

Litchfield took a road loss to Melrose in the Dragons' regular-season finale.

The Dragons finish at 6-20. The Dutchmen improve to 15-9. Litchfield lost eight straight to close the regular season.

The Dragons are the No. 6 seed in the Section 3AA-North tournament. They begin the postseason at 7 p.m. Saturday at No. 3 Paynesville.

Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg picked up its 20th win of the season after beating Section 6A-South foe Brandon-Evansville at Evansville.

The Fighting Saints (20-5) close out the regular season on a seven-game win streak.

KMS awaits seeding for the 6A-South tournament, which begins Monday.

Ashby got the road win over Benson in the Braves' regular-season finale.

The loss put Benson at 6-20. The Arrows move to 7-15.

Benson head coach Mike Felt, in his second season with the Braves, used to be the head coach at Ashby.

The Braves now prepare for the Section 6A-South tournament, which begins with pigtail games on Monday.