Hayfield opens Holiday Tournament with win over BP
Published 7:59 pm Thursday, December 27, 2018
- Blooming Prairie’s Julia Worke shoots past Rachel Pack in Hayfield. Herald File Photo
HAYFIELD — Hayfield senior Emma Holst stands just five-feet, five-inches tall, but she did a lot of big things on the court for the Vikings as they topped Blooming Prairie 64-41 in the semifinals of their annual Holiday Tournament Thursday.
Holst drilled seven three-pointers for a game-high 21 points and she added five rebounds, six assists and three steals in the win.
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Hayfield’s Emma Holst fires a three-pointer against Blooming Prairie in the Hayfield Tournament Thursday. Holst hit seven threes in the win. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Holst was able to make big shots off the dribble penetration of fellow senior Elecia Brown, who had 19 points, four assists and six rebounds.
“We’ve been looking to play a complete game and I think we finally had that tonight,” Holst said. “(Elecia and I) feed off each other. When Elecia’s getting stopped she knows that I need to step up and when I’m getting stopped, I know that she needs to step up.
The Vikings (4-6 overall) have now won two of their last three games and they held a second half lead against No. 4-ranked Grand Meadow before falling 70-59 last Friday.
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Blooming Prairie’s Megan Oswald shoots past Hayfield’s Abby Stasko, left, and Emma Holst in Hayfield Thursday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
On Thursday, Hayfield led from the opening tip as its relentless defensive pressure forced 21 BP turnovers.
“We have been working really hard in practice,” Brown said. “More girls are staying after practice or coming in during the morning to shoot or work out.”
Sophomore Megan Oswald gave BP (5-3 overall) an inside presence with six points, three rebounds and four assists.
BP has a young roster with two freshmen — Bobbie Bruns, who had 13 points and Maggie Bruns, who had three points — in the backcourt.
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Elecia Brown of Hayfield jumps up to pass the ball past Blooming Prairie’s Megan Oswald in Hayfield Thursday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
BP head coach John Bruns said his team will have to learn to play against faster, up-tempo pressure.
“This isn’t the way we want to play. We want to learn to play at that pace,” John said. “Sometimes with a young team, they don’t really understand that every cut needs to be full speed and every time you go out to close out, it’s going to be a good shooter. If it’s Emma Holst out there, you better go out there and get a hand up or it’s three points.”
Hayfield will take on Lyle-Pacelli in the tournament title game at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Hayfield.
BP will take on Kenyon-Wanamingo in the third place game at 6 p.m. in Hayfield.
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Blooming Prairie’s Bobbie Bruns handles the ball in Hayfield Thursday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
BP 26 15 — 41
Hayfield 39 26 — 64
Hayfield scoring: Emma Holst, 21; Elecia Brown, 19; Abby Stasko, 12; Payton Slaathaug, 8; Rachel Pack, 4; free throws: 67 percent (10-for-15); rebounds: 32 (Pack, 8); turnovers: 13
BP scoring: Bobbie Bruns, 13; Julia Worke, 7; Megan Oswald, 6; Maya Lembke, 6; Allison Krohnberg, 5; Maggie Bruns, 3; Baylee Sorenson, 2; free throws: 47 percent (9-for-19); rebounds: 30 (Worke, 9); turnovers: 21