High School Girls Basketball: Litchfield Dragons' 'D' does the trick against Benson Braves

Mar. 17—LITCHFIELD — The Litchfield girls basketball team got off to a sluggish offensive start during its Section 3AA-North quarterfinal game against Benson on Tuesday night.

However, the Dragons' defense came to the rescue.

Litchfield, the sub-section's No. 2 seed, collected 17 steals and held No. 7 Benson to a season-worst point total in a 48-18 victory.

It is the fewest points allowed by the Dragons all season.

With the win, Litchfield is host to No. 6 Morris/Chokio-Alberta at 7 p.m. The Tigers picked up a 53-40 victory against No. 3 Eden Valley-Watkins from Eden Valley.

"Defense won us the game," Dragons assistant coach Zach Piepenburg said. "We were locked down on them all game, which helps us secure the game. Holding them to 10 points in the first half and eight in the second is a pretty good defensive effort, no matter who the team is."

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Litchfield could only manage an 11-8 lead 12 minutes into the first half and it struggled to get clean looks against Benson's 2-3 zone defense. The Braves did a nice job rotating to players open on the perimeter and creating traffic on the interior.

Their defense kept them in the game, but they had little answer for Litchfield's full-court pressure and 1-3-1 zone in the half court. The Dragons trapped their opponent at half court, forcing either a Benson player to throw an errant pass or stripping them of the ball.

Sydney McCann was the most opportunistic player in green with seven steals. She picked off a pass at half court before laying in an uncontested basket to give the home team their first double-digit lead at 18-8.

From there, Litchfield closed out the half on a 10-2 run and entered halftime with a 28-10 cushion. Seven points from that late surge came from the free-throw line as the hosts attacked the Braves defense and drew fouls.

Half of Benson's first half possessions ended in a turnover.

McCann finished with a game-high 14 points with four assists. Lily Osterberg added three steals to go with her six points. Izzy Pennertz chipped in seven points and seven rebounds.

Marissa Connelly led the Braves with nine points.

Section 3AA-North

Litchfield 48,

Benson 18

Benson (4-13) 10 8 — 18

Litchfield (12-6) 28 20 — 48

BENSON — Scoring: Mya Kurkosky 5, Madi Wrobleski 2, Kimmy Pagel 2, Marissa Connelly 9 ... 3-point shots: Kurkosky 1, Connelly 3 ... Rebound leader: N/A... Assist leader: N/A ... Steal leader: N/A ... Block leader: N/A

LITCHFIELD — Scoring: Janessa Olson 3, Sydney McCann 14, Ryanna Steinhaus 5, Kamri Driver 6, Greta Hansen 4, Lily Osterberg 6, Maggie Boerema 1, Kylie Michels 2, Izzy Pennertz 7 ... 3-point shots: Olson 1, McCann 2, Steinhaus 1, Driver 2, Osterberg 1 ... Rebound leader: Pennertz 7, Boerema 5, Driver 5 ... Assist leader: McCann 4 ... Steal leader: McCann 7, Osterberg 3 ... Block leader: McCann 1

NLS 69,

ACGC 21

Thirteen players scored for unbeaten New London-Spicer in its first-round playoff victory over Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City at New London.

NLS (19-0) is the top seed in Section 3AA-North as well as ranked No. 1 in the state in Class AA. ACGC (0-18) was the eighth seed.

Because both No. 4-seeded Minnewaska and No. 5-seeded Paynesville have been forced to forfeit because of the pandemic, NLS has a bye in the quarterfinals. The Wildcats advance to the semifinals at 7 p.m. Monday where they will host the winner of Morris/Chokio-Alberta and Litchfield.

"I think it's a challenge we need to try and overcome," Wildcats head coach Mike Dreier said of the break. "We haven't played a competitive game for a week-and-a-half; it'll be two weeks by the time we play again. Maybe it will help us get healthy."

Dakota Rich and Delaney Hanson led NLS with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Hanson added eight rebounds.

ACGC (0-18) 12 9 — 21

NLS (19-0) 34 35 — 69

ACGC — Scoring: Elli Roemeling 4, Mikaili Johnson 4, Brooke Tagtow 4, Brooke Schultz 3, Reanna Kaddatz 2, Grace Kaehler 2, Karla Schultz 2 ... 3-point shots: B. Schultz 1 ... Rebound leader: N/A... Assist leader: N/A ... Steal leader: N/A. .. Block leader: N/A

NLS — Scoring: Nyla Johnson 3, Avery Rich 5, Izzy Schmiesing 6, Mackenzie Rich 3, Emma Hanson 6, Dakota Rich 12, Courtney Rich 1, Ellie Hanson 4, Ellary Peterson 5, Ava Kraemer 2, Delaney Hanson 11, Audrey Schneider 8, Erin Knisley 3 ... 3-point shots: Johnson 1, Schmiesing 1, M. Rich 1, Em. Hanson 2, D. Hanson 1 ... Rebound leader: D. Hanson 8, Peterson 7, Schmiesing 5, El. Hanson 5 ... Assist leader: A. Rich 4, Jaden Coahran 3, Johnson 3 ... Steal leader: A. Rich 3, M. Rich 2 ... Block leader: C. Rich 1, D. Hanson 1

Morris/CA 53,

EV-W 40

Sixth-seeded Morris/Chokio-Alberta surprised third-seeded Eden Valley-Watkins in the Section 3AA-North playoffs at Eden Valley.

Emma Bowman had 23 points, seven rebounds and three steals to lead the Tigers. Cate Kohoe added 14 points for Morris/CA.

Morris/CA (6-13) 31 22 — 53

EV-W (9-8) 20 20 — 40

MORRIS/CA — Scoring: Emma Bowman 23, Cate Kehoe 14, Maddy Grove 9, Meredith Carrington 7 ... 3-point shots: Bowman 3, Kehoe 4 ... Rebound leader: Bowman 7 ... Assist leader: Grove 4 ... Steal leader: Bowman 3, Carrington 3 ... Block leader: Kehoe 2, Grove 2

EV-W — Stats not available

Section 3AA-South

Montevideo 72,

St. James 42

Entering halftime up 43-22, Montevideo got up big early to cruise past St. James in the Section 3AA playoff game at Montevideo.

"I think our girls got off to a fast start," Montevideo head coach Anthony Jackson said. "Our shooting percentage in the first half, especially in the first few minutes, let us calm down a little bit, play confidently and kind of forget that it was an elimination game."

St. James is the fifth seed in the South Sub-Section. Montevideo is the fourth seed.

The Thunder Hawks play the top-seeded Windom, a 67-57 winner over No. 8 Pipestone. The game is 7 p.m. Friday at Windom.

St. James (8-9) 22 20 — 42

Montevideo (14-4) 43 29 — 72

ST. JAMES — Scoring: Tori Mohwinkel 7, London Swanson 1, Jaelyn Haler 11, Ellie Becker 2, Madelyn Malmgren 9, Taylor Sodeman 12 ... 3-point shots: Mohwinkel 2, Sodeman 1 ... Rebound leader: N/A ... Assist leader: N/A ... Steal leader: N/A ... Block leader: N/A

MONTEVIDEO — Scoring: Liv Gades 7, Teagan Epema 2, Zola Olson 4, Tenley Epema 25, Taylor Viesman 2, Avery Koenen 24, Hailey Dirksen 8 ... 3-point shots: Gades 2, Olson 1, Ten. Epema 5, Dirksen 1 ... Rebound leader: Koenen 12 ... Assist leader: N/A ... Steal leader: N/A ... Block leader: N/A

Section 3A-North

Minneota 66,

YME 30

Unbeaten Minneota opened the Section 3A-North playoffs with a victory over Yellow Medicine East at Minneota.

Abby Hennen scored 32 points for the Vikings. Teammate Natalee Rolbiecki had nine, including her 1,000th career point in the victory.

Minneota is the North's No. 1 seed. YME was the eighth seed and coming off a 76-11 victory over No. 9 Dawson-Boyd on Monday night.

For the Sting, junior Shelby Mortenson had 11 points, nine rebounds, five blocks and four assists. Sophomore Hannah Stark contributed 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.

Minneota plays Canby at 7 p.m. Friday in Minneota.

YME (4-16) 12 18 — 30

Minneota (19-0) 41 25 — 66

YME — Scoring: Ruby Bones 7, Madelynn Luft 2, Hannah Stark 10, Shelby Mortenson 11 ... 3-point shots: Stark 2-4 ... Rebound leaders: Mortenson 9 ... Assist leader: Mortenson 4 ... Steal leaders: Schuler 1, Stark 1, Mortenson 1 ... Block leader: Mortenson 5

MINNEOTA — Stats not available

Canby 33,

MACCRAY 28

Ryann Hansen had 10 points and Aidyn Bruns yanked down 17 rebounds to help Canby win a defensive struggle over MACCRAY at Clara City.

Canby is the No. 5 seed in the North. MACCRAY is No. 4 in the North.

Gabby Randt led the Wolverines with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Alison Koenen had nine steals for MACCRAY.

Canby (11-8) 13 20 — 33

MACCRAY (10-7) 13 15 — 28

CANBY — Scoring: McKenzie Ruether 3, Jayla Hulzebos 3, Nannah Jelen 7, Ryann Hansen 10, Kortney Leppke 2, Aidyn Bruns 4, Morgan Noyes 4 ... 3-point shots: Ruether 1-7, Hulzebos 1-2, Hansen 2-04 ... Rebound leaders: Bruns 17, Jelen 8, Leppke 7 ... Assist leaders: Ruether 5, Hansen 3 ... Steal leader: Noyes 3 ... Block leaders: Hulzebos 1, Jelen 1, Leppke 1

MACCRAY — Scoring: Ella Bourne 5, Sydney Thein 6, Alison Koenen 4, Gabby Randt 13 ... 3-point shots: N/A ... Rebound leaders: Randt 10, Koenen 4, Elsie Summer 4 ... Assist leaders: Jaenisch 4, Randt 2, Koenen 2 ... Steal leader: Koenen 9 ... Block leader: Randt 2

LQPV 58,

R-T-R 51

Lac qui Parle Valley earned the Section 3A-North playoff victory over Russell-Tyler-Ruthton at Madison.

Taylor Shelstad contributed 19 points and four assists and Alex Stitt and Camryn Lee each had 12 points to lead the Eagles. Stitt also contributed three assists.

Allie Christensen led R-T-R with 15 points, Kalleigh Carr had 13 and Haley Muenchow 10.

LQPV is the No. 2 seed in the North. R-T-R is the No. 7 seed in the North. LQPV plays at 7 p.m. Friday at home against Lakeview. Lakeview (No. 3-North) beat Wabasso (No. 6-North) by a score of 79-50.

R-T-R (8-10) 19 32 — 51

LQPV (14-4) 26 32 — 58

R-T-R — Scoring: Allie Christianson 15, Kalleigh Carr 13, Haley Muenchow 10, Alexis Schreurs 7, Faith Tomsen 6 ... 3-point shots: N/A ... Rebound leader: N/A ... Assist leader: N/A ... Steal leader: N/A ... Block leader: N/A

LQPV — Scoring: Macie Lund 6, Alex Stitt 12, Cassidie Olson 7, Addy Bonn 2, Taylor Shelstad 19, Camryn Lee 12 ... 3-point shots: Stitt 2-6, Shelstad 4-8 ... Rebound leaders: Lee 9, Lund 5 ... Assist leaders: Lund 4, Shelstad 4, Stitt 3 ... Steal leader: Lund 4 ... Block leader: Stitt 1