Girls basketball: Holtz receives All-Star game invite before leading LP past Hurricanes
Published 12:08 am Saturday, February 6, 2016
LYLE — Lyle-Pacelli senior Sarah Holtz started her day by getting invited to play in the MHSGB All-Star game and then she showed why she was invited in a 51-27 win over Houston (9-14 overall, 8-8 SEC) in Lyle Friday night.
Lyle-Pacelli’s Kendal Truckenmiller works the ball around the perimeter against Houston in the second half Friday night in Lyle. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Holtz tallied 19 points and nine rebounds in the win as LP (19-3 overall, 15-0 SEC) started on a 7-0 run and never trailed throughout the game. Holtz, a Luther commit who has over 1,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds, is the first LP girls basketball player to be selected to play in the All-Star game, which features the top 40 players in Minnesota.
“It’s a great honor. I was really surprised,” Holtz said. “I’m taken back by it and I wouldn’t be where I am today without my team.”
LP head coach Justin Morris said Holtz’s invite shows that she is respected as a player across the state and not just in Minnesota. Coaches from around the state select the all star team.
“She’s an unbelievable example of what it means to be a student athlete,” Morris said of Holtz. “She takes her studies very seriously, and she’s great from an academic stand point. She comes to practice every day and I can’t think of a day where she gets outworked by anyone.”
The Athletics saw the return of Bethany Strouf in Friday’s win. Strouf, who had been out for about six weeks with a foot injury, had three points and nine rebounds in her return.
Lyle-Pacelli’s Bethany Strouf turns to shoot in a crowd in teh second half against Houston Friday night in Lyle. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“It was tough [sitting out], it’s been too long,” Strouf said. “I’ll probably need a couple of weeks to play my way back to where I was.”
Holtz said she’s excited to have Strouf back for the stretch run.
“It’s going to be so important to have Bethany going forward into the playoffs,” Holtz said. “She’s a huge part of our team and she’s a key factor in everything we do. Having her out really hurt us, but I think getting her back now will help us take it up another notch.”
Kristi Fett had 10 points, 10 rebounds and four steals for LP and Kendal Truckenmiller had four points, five rebounds and five assists.
Houston 16 11 — 27
LP 35 16 — 51
LP scoring: Sarah Holtz, 19; Kristi Fett, 10; Brooke Walter, 8; Abby Bollingberg, 5; Courtney Walter, 6; Kendal Truckenmiller, 4; Lucy Nelson, 3; Bethany Strouf, 3; free throws: 47 percent (17-for-36); rebounds: 46 (Fett, 10); turnovers: 12
