High School Boys Basketball: Willmar Cardinals get crushed at Cold Spring

Patrick Bernadeau and Tom Elliott and | and Joe Brown, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·7 min read

Feb. 24—COLD SPRING — Willmar earned a 58-50 season-opening victory over Rocori on Jan. 16.

The boys basketball rematch five weeks later was less of a contest.

The Cardinals were outscored by 15 points in each half during their 70-40 Central Lakes Conference loss against the Spartans on Tuesday from Rocori High School.

The home team shot 52% percent from the field to capture its third consecutive win following a seven-game losing streak. The visiting team was held to 30 percent shooting and was 2 of 16 from three-point range.

Chase Dirksen led Willmar with eight points. Ross Minnick added seven points and six rebounds.

Luke Humbert poured in a game-high 18 points for Rocori. Jayden Philippi chipped in 14 points.

The Cardinals have dropped three of their last four games. They look to rebound at 7:15 p.m. Thursday at Sauk Rapids.

Rocori 70,

Willmar 40

Willmar (5-6) 16 24 — 40

Rocori (4-8) 31 39 — 70

WILLMAR — Scoring: Jacob Rosendahl 6, Cayden Hansen 2, Simon Radermacher 2, Chase Dirksen 8, Alex Schramm 5, Jacob Streed 2, Blake Schoolmeester 4, Sam Raitz 2, Ross Minnick 7, Aaron Watland 2 ... 3-point shots: Schramm 1, Minnick 1 ... Rebound leader: Minnick 6 ... Assist leader: Rosendahl 3 ... Steal leader: Schramm 2 ... Block leader: Dirksen 1, Watland 1

ROCORI — Scoring: Camdyn Bayer 4, Matt Torborg 2, Tucker Haakonson 10, Jayden Philippi 14, Jack Spanier 8, Beck Loesch 2, Luke Humbert 18, Jaden Rugemer 10, Tyler Hibbison 2 ... 3-point shots: Haakonson 1, Philippi 4, Spanier 1, Ruegemer 2 ... Rebound leader: Haakonson 8 ... Assist leader: Bayer 2, Torborg 2 ... Steal leader: Humbert 3 ... Block leader: Torborg 1, Humbert 1

Wright County

Litchfield 48,

GSL 41

Avery Liestman scored half of Litchfield's points during the Dragons' win against Glencoe-Silver Lake at Glencoe.

Liestman put up a game-high 24 points on 9 of 11 shooting from the floor. He also had seven rebounds. Tyson Michels added 11 points, eight rebounds and four steals for the visitors.

Jaden Uecker had 20 points and seven rebounds for the Panthers.

The Dragons are host to Watertown-Mayer at 7 p.m. Friday.

Litchfield (8-3) 20 28 — 48

GSL (6-5) 23 18 — 41

LITCHFIELD — Scoring: Ben Alsleben 6, Tyson Michels 11, Avery Liestman 24, Alex Draeger 1, Beau Weseloh 2, Christian Kelsey 4 ... 3-point shots: Liestman 1 ... Rebound leader: Michels 8, Liestman 7 ... Assist leader: Alsleben 3 ... Steal leader: Michels 4 ... Block leader: N/A

GLENCOE-SILVER LAKE — Scoring: Mitchel Jaskowiak 9, Jacob Christianson 6, Eli Ehrke 1, Jaden Uecker 20, Blake Mickolichek 5 ... 3-point shots: Mickolichek 1 ... Rebound leader: Uecker 7 ... Assist leader: Spencer Lemke 2, Mitchel Klockmann 2 ... Steal leader: Jaskowiak 3 ... Block leader: Mickolichek 1

Central Minnesota

Kimball 72,

ACGC 65 (OT)

Tied at 62-62 at the end of regulation, Kimball outscored host Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City 10-3 in the extra period to get the Central Minnesota Conference win in Grove City.

The Falcons got the game to overtime when AJ Slinden sank a pair of free throws with 11 seconds left in regulation.

Braeden Pickle paced ACGC with 23 points along with six assists and a pair of steals. Alex Kokenge had 16 points and two blocks while Brock Denton hit four 3-pointers in a 12-point effort.

The Cubs had five players in double figures, led by Lucas Jansky's 18 points.

The Falcons are back at home Friday against Eden Valley-Watkins.

Kimball (9-2) 31 31 10 — 72

ACGC (2-9) 27 35 3 — 65

KIMBALL — Scoring: Jack Knaus 14, Hunter Hickman 13, Gabe Becker 3, Riley Albers 2, Lucas Jansky 18, Simon Stang 12, Ty Gustafson 10 ... 3-point shots: Jansky 3, Becker 1 ... Rebound leader: N/A ... Assist leader: N/A ... Steal leader: N/A ... Block leader: N/A

ACGC — Scoring: Alex Kokenge 16, Braeden Pickle 23, Brock Denton 12, Levi Lilleberg 4, Brock Hedtke 2, AJ Slinden 8 ... 3-point shots: Denton 4, Kokenge 2, Pickle 2 ... Rebound leader: Lilleberg 7, Slinden 6 ... Assist leader: Pickle 6, Lilleberg 4, Denton 4 ... Steal leader: Lilleberg 3, Pickle 2 ... Block leader: Kokenge 2

BBE 62,

Royalton 36

Ten players scored for Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa in the team's win over Royalton at Brooten.

Ashton Dingmann paced the Jaguars with 16 points. Kaden Pieper and Ryan Schwinghammer chipped in 10 and nine points, respectively.

Brady Brezinka had nine points for the Royals.

BBE plays at 7:15 p.m. Friday at Paynesville.

Royalton (4-8) 16 20 — 36

BBE (9-3) 35 27 — 62

ROYALTON — Scoring: Joseph Achen 1, Grayson Suska 6, Connor Carlson 4, Jordan Petron 7, Brady Brezinka 9, Blake Albright 2, Jackson Psyck 4, Tristan Pekula 3 ... 3-point shots: Petron 1, Brezinka 1 ... Rebound leader: Albright 5 ... Assist leader: Suska 2 ... Steal leader: Suska 2 ... Block leader: Pekula 2

BBE — Scoring: Kaden Pieper 10, Brady Birch 2, Will VanBeck 5, Peyton Winter 4, Gannon Walsh 2, Ashton Dingmann 16, Luke Dingmann 7, Gavin Kampsen 2, Andrew Weller 5, Ryan Schwinghammer 9 ... 3-point shots: VanBeck 1, A. Dingmann 3 ... Rebound leader: L. Dingmann 6 ... Assist leader: VanBeck 6 ... Steal leader: VanBeck 4 ... Block leader: Schwinghammer 1

Paynesville 58,

Maple Lake 44

Paynesville snapped a three-game losing streak with a home win over Maple Lake.

The Bulldogs outscored the Irish 31-19 and held as much as an 18-point lead in the second half.

Corbin Froelich led the home team with 22 points. Chase Bayer added 12 points. Each player grabbed seven rebounds.

Ryley Hagen had 18 points and Brayden Belanger put up nine points and 12 rebounds for the visitors.

Paynesville is host to Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

Maple Lake (3-9) 25 19 — 44

Paynesville (7-5) 27 31 — 58

MAPLE LAKE — Scoring: Zane Jude 6, Ryley Hagen 18, Noah Beffel 2, Joe Fynboh 2, Brayden Belanger 9, Ernesto Brown 7 ... 3-point shots: N/A ... Rebound leader: Belanger 12, Brown 7 ... Assist leader: N/A ... Steal leader: N/A ... Block leader: N/A

PAYNESVILLE — Scoring: Eli Nelson 9, Chase Bayer 12, Kaden Ludwig 7, Corbin Froelich 22, Max Athmann 3, Bennett Evans 3, Mitchell Bertram 2 ... 3-point shots: N/A ... Rebound leader: Bayer 7, Froelich 7 ... Assist leader: Froelich 4 ... Steal leader: N/A ... Block leader: N/A

West Central

Morris/CA 75,

Minnewaska 35

Morris/Chokio-Alberta's Jackson Loge alone matched Minnewaska on the scoreboard in the Tigers' win at Morris.

The junior center poured in 35 points on 13-for-26 shooting from the field. He also had 11 rebounds and eight blocks.

Peyton Johnsrud had 12 points for the Lakers.

Minnewaska faces Redwood Valley at 7:15 p.m. Friday from Redwood Falls.

Minnewaska (6-5) 16 19 — 35

Morris/CA (11-1) 30 45 — 75

MINNEWASKA — Scoring: Peyton Johnsrud 12, Mitchell Gruber 3, Sam Hested 8, Damon Uhde 2, Aaron Ver Steeg 10 ... 3-point shots: Johnsrud 1, Gruber 1 ... Rebound leader: Ver Steeg 6 ... Assist leader: Hunter Kostelecky 1 ... Steal leader: Hested 2 ... Block leader: Ver Steeg 2

MORRIS/CHOKIO-ALBERTA — Scoring: Durgin Decker 4, Cole Wente 3, Brandon Jergenson 10, Thomas Tiernan 9, Riley Reimers 2, Jackson Loge 35, Tyler Berlinger 2, Toby Gonnerman 4, Sam Kleinwolterink 4, Mason Lesmeister 2 ... 3-point shots: Wente 1, Tiernan 2, Loge 3 ... Rebound leader: Loge 11 ... Assist leader: Gonnerman 7 ... Steal leader: Tiernan 2 ... Block leader: Loge 8

Melrose 71,

Benson 49

Benson was outscored 55-16 in the first half of its loss at Melrose.

The Dutchmen are ranked fifth in Class AA and improved their record to 11-0. The Braves at 5-8.

Benson hosts Wheaton/Herman-Norcross at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Benson (5-8) 16 33 — 49

Melrose (11-0) 55 19 — 71