Vikings use a 14-0 run to close out Awesome Blossoms
Published 9:14 pm Friday, February 14, 2025
Lily Morrisey gets inside for the Vikings as Blooming Prairie’s Ella Smith contests the shot. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Hayfield/Schaeffer Academy sophomore Jenna Christopherson drives past Blooming Prairei eighth grader Emmerson Nelson. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Hayfield/Schaeffer Academy’s Frieda Rutz drives past Blooming Prairie’s Elaine Schwarz in BP Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Emmerson Nelson defends Hayfield/Schaeffer’s Maggie Hansen in BP Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Blooming Prairie’s Claire Schwarz drives around Maggie Hansen of the Vikngs in BP Friday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
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BLOOMING PRAIRIE – The Hayfield/Schaeffer Academy girls basketball team nearly saw a comfortable lead disappear, but they were able to bounce back and close out the Awesome Blossoms 54-39 in BP Friday.
After trailing 40-32, BP closed to within 40-39 when Ella Salinas scored on an inside move, but the Vikings (15-10 overall) had an answer when Betsy Gillette converted a three-point play and lay-up to kickstart her team, which closed out the final seven minutes of the game on a 14-0 run.
“I feel like we were definitely lacking effort in the first half and there was some arguing going on,” said Gillette, who scored 13 points. “It was a weird game because we’re not used to 5 o’clock games, but we ended up picking it up and we pushed ourselves through. They’re pretty scrappy and they like to force you into making any mistakes.”
BP (7-18 overall) never held a lead, but it was able to get back into the game after trailing 29-18 at halftime. HSA head coach Kasey Krekling said he would’ve liked to have seen his team close the game out without having to make a big run at the end.
“I was a little disappointed in that second half with that run (we allowed). We can’t take breaks on the defensive end,” Krekling said. “Our shots weren’t falling and that would be a losing combination come playoff time. I’m glad we got it out of our system and then we closed the game out on a 14 point run.”
Sophomore Jenna Christopherson finished with 13 points for the Vikings, who hit just five three-pointers as a team.
“Our shots weren’t always going in and that’s going to happen sometimes but I think we did a good job of going to the middle and getting inside,” Christopherson said.
Claire Schwarz led the Awesome Blossoms with 14 points and HSA’s Maggie Hansen chipped in eight points, seven rebounds and three assists.
BP will begin Section 1A Tournament play next Thursday and HSA will begin Section 1AA Tournament play next Thursday, after it plays at Maple River Monday.
Christopherson said the Vikings are going to work hard to get ready for the postseason.
“We have to push ourselves and practice because we practice like we play,” she said.
HSA 29 25 – 54
BP 18 21 – 39
HSA scoring: Betsy Gillette, 13; Jenna Christopherson, 13; Lily Morrisey, 9; Maggie Hansen, 8; Frieda Rutz, 6; Gabby Buehler, 3; Aviana Alexander, 2
BP scoring: Claire Schwarz, 14; Emmerson Nelson, 6; Ella Smith, 6; Catelyn Bartlett, 5; Elaine Schwarz,
