Raiders bring down Packers in a Section 1AAA quarterfinal
Published 9:17 pm Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Austin’s Nyabol Mourwal Gach muscles up a shot against Northfield’s Kate Sand (45) and Callie Lynch (2). Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Kenzie Brede puts up a three-point shot for the Packers against Northfield Wednesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Addison Walsh hustles for a loose ball against Northfield’s Amber Mahal. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Ajiem Agwa drives past Northfield’s Reese Sweeney in Ove Berven Gym Wednesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Quinn Osgood handles the ball for the Packers. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
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The No. 4 seeded Austin girls basketball team saw the end of a long run for a strong senior group as its season came to an end in a 68-57 loss to No. 5 Northfield in a Section 1AAA quarterfinal in Ove Berven Gym Wednesday.
The Packers pulled to within 39-37 with 11:20 left in the game when senior Ajiem Agwa scored and brought them to within 50-46 on a reverse lay-up with 5:56 left, but the Raiders closed out the game.
Austin (20-7 overall) had split the regular season series with Northfield, and the Packers had beaten the Raiders just last week. Austin head coach Eric Zoske said the two squads were about as evenly matched as you could get.
“They’re a really good team. They’re strong, they’re long and they have a number of shooters. It’s not one player with Northfield, you’ve just got to play tough,” Zoske said. “If we play them ten times, we might go five and five.”
Agwa, who finished as AHS’s all-time leading scorer, put up 23 points, five steals and four assists in her final game with Austin, while senior Marissa Shute had eight points and 13 rebounds and senior Nyabol Mourwal Gach scored 12 points.
“It didn’t go our way, but you look at our four seniors and they gave it all they had,” Zoske said. “They’ve always been around and they were fifth graders when I came to town. These four have a little extra attitude with them; we were one of 10 teams in AAA this year to win 20 games and those seniors were a huge part of that. They showed up, worked hard and they kept practices fun and competitive.”
The Packers took a 12-6 early on, but the Raiders scored the next seven points and Austin never held another lead. The Packers trailed by as many as 26-17 in the first half, but they closed the gap to 32-27 at the break.
The Raiders (17-10 overall) were led by Tatum Sawyer, who scored 16 points.
Northfield 32 36 – 68
Austin 27 30 – 57
Austin scoring: Ajiem Agwa, 23; Nyabol Mourwal Gach, 12; Marissa Shute, 8; Atee Obang, 5; Quinn Osgood, 4; Addison Walsh, 2; Gracie Arndt, 1
Northfield scoring: Tatum Sawyer, 16; Callie Lynch, 14; Sydney Livingston, 10; Grace Mostad, 9; Kate Sand, 8; Amber Mahal, 5; Siri Richardson, 4; Alaia Douah, 2
