When this season began, the Southland girls basketball team was talented, but inexperienced.

That’s starting to change.

The Rebels rattled off their third win in four games as they knocked off the No. 5 ranked team in Class ‘AA’ Dover-Eyota (11-1 overall, 6-1 Three Rivers) on the road Friday.

The Rebels (6-5 overall, 5-3 Three Rivers) trailed by as many as 10 in the second half, but they rallied to take the lead and win.

“We really played well,” Southland head coach Bob Sheehan said. “We knew if we gained some confidence, this is the kind of team we can be.”

Southland junior McKenzie Kirtz scored 24 points and junior Katlin Webber added 18 points. Kirtz is one of the few players who saw big minutes on last year’s Southland team and she’s been a big difference maker for this year’s squad.

“McKenzie’s great. She’s very unselfish and at the same time she calms down her teammates by taking the pressure off of them,” Sheehan said.

Southland 35 40 — 75

DE 39 30 — 69

Southland scoring: McKenzie Kirtz, 24; Katlin Webber, 18; Kaitlyn Kirtz, 12; Syndey Bendsten, 12; McKendry Kennedy, 5; Morgan Schmitz, 4; free throws: 67 percent (18-for-27)