BLOOMING PRAIRIE — The Awesome Blossoms girls basketball team put a forgettable first half behind them and they lit up the scoreboard in the second frame as they beat Hayfield 68-59 in BP Tuesday.

The Vikings (15-7 overall) led 24-18 right before the first half ended when BP’s Taylor Hagen was fouled on a three-quarter court shot at the buzzer. Hagen hit all three free throws and the Awesome Blossoms opened the second half on a 15-5 run over five minutes that saw Madison Worke score nine points. BP would never trail again and Worke added another big shot when she banked in a wing 3-pointer to give BP a 52-46 lead.

The Blossoms started the game on a slow note as they fell behind 9-2 early on.

“We had no energy when we started the game,” BP head coach John Worke said. “I think it was that nervous situation where they put the game to be such a big thing. At the the 13-minute mark it looked like we had played a game already. We just looked beat.”

Hagen gave Hayfield fits inside as she tallied 23 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. She also held Hayfield’s starting front court to a combined one point.

Hagen said a change of attitude was needed for the Blossoms at halftime.

“We needed to increase the intensity level and play a lot harder [in the second half],” Hagen said.

The Vikings got as close as 62-57 late in the game when freshman Kate Kruger converted a 3-point play, but Hayfield wouldn’t get any closer as the No. 6 ranked Blossoms (20-2 overall) closed the game out at the free throw line. Hayfield committed 20 turnovers in the loss.

“Against a good team like this we can’t afford that many turnovers. [BP is] long and they pose a lot of problems. Hagen in the middle makes everything a little tougher because the kids are afraid to bring it at her and she’s good,” Hayfield head coach Fred Kindschy said. “They were extending out on our shooters and we didn’t have much of an inside game.”

Madison said the Blossoms learned that they can’t start off slow after Tuesday’s win and she was glad to pick up a win over Hayfield.

“There’s always a lesson and we can take a few from this game,” said Madison, who had 21 points, four steals and three rebounds. “They have a good program over there and I’m really happy about this win. It’s nice to beat them.”

The Blossoms wrapped up the Gopher Conference title last week and they’re using the rest of the season to prepare for the Section 1A West tournament. BP will play at Grand Meadow Friday and it will host Lyle-Pacelli next week. John is hoping those games will get his squad primed for the tournament.

“We knew we had three good games to get us tournament ready and this is the first one,” he said. “Hayfield’s always tough and it’s always going to be a good game. I think Fred does an excellent job with those kids and those kids will run through a wall for him. He’s just got that about him.”

The Vikings had a scoring lift from Bhrett Zahnle, who had 18 points, and Jo Bungum, who had 16 points, but no other player reached double figures. Kindschy said his squad is looking to find more balance as the playoffs approach.

“On any given night we’re still trying to find players in certain spots to step up for us,” he said. “Jo and Bhrett have been our leaders, but nobody else has really stepped up offensively. When Jo and Bhrett are on, we’re very tough to beat, when one of them is on, we’ll hang with teams, and when both of them are off, we’re going to struggle.”

Hayfield 24 35 — 59

BP 21 47 — 68

BP scoring: Taylor Hagen, 23; Madison Worke, 21; Kaci Gwilt, 8; Nicole Inwards, 8; Kalyn Naatz, 4; Hannah Ahrens, 4; field goals: 41 percent (23-for-55); 3-pointers: 37 percent (3-for-8); free throws: 67 percent (19-for-28); rebounds; 25 (Hagen, 8); turnovers: 12

Hayfield scoring: Bhrett Zahnle, 18; Jo Bungum, 16; Maggie Streightiff, 8; Kate Kruger, 6; Sophia Waldner, 5; Carrie Rutledge, 2; Savanna Cordle, 1; field goals: 36 percent (22-for-60); 3-pointers: 33 percent (6-for-18); free throws: 52 percent (9-for-17); rebounds: 24 (Bungum, 10); turnovers: 20