Hot shooting Rushford-Peterson knocks off Southland
Published 3:31 pm Saturday, March 8, 2025
Southland fans cheer after a first-half basket by the Rebels against Rushford-Peterson Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Tate Goergen with the shot in the first half against Rushford-Peterson Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Henry Wiste sidesteps Rushford-Peterson's William LaFleur on the way to the hoop during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Noah Goergen shovesl a pass around Rushford-Peterson's Carson Johnson during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Tate Goergen shoots a contested shot inside against Rushford-Peterson's William LaFleuer during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Tate Goergen drives to the hoop against William LaFleur during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Cole Miller, right, and Rushford-Peterson's Carson Johnson (11) vie for a loose ball during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Cole Miller shoots over Rushford-Peterson's Carson Johnson (11) during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Henry Wiste pulls up for a shot during the first half against Rushfrod-Peterson Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Maverick Hanna is tripped up going for the ball against Rushford-Peterson during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Tate Goergen with a lay-up in the first half against Rushford-Peterson Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Noah Goergen takes a shot against Rushford-Peterson during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Southland's Noah Goergen drives against Rushford-Peterson's Cayden Lea during the first half Saturday during the Section 1A semifinals at Mayo Civic Center. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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ROCHESTER – The No. 2 seeded Southland boys basketball team ran into a hot-shooting Rushford-Peterson team as they lost 67-61 in a Section 1A semifinal in Mayo Civic Auditorium Saturday.
After holding a sizeable first half lead, the Rebels (28-1 overall) were never able to get a chance to tie or take the lead down the stretch and the No. 3 seeded Trojans iced the game when William LaFluer hit a base-line three to make it 65-58 with 55 seconds left in the game.
“They hit big shots when they needed to and we couldn’t match their shots,” Southland head coach Scott Koenigs said. “They shot the basketball real well. A couple of their guys hadn’t hit a shot all game and they made some big ones at the end.”
Southland looked to have some momentum when sophomore Tate Goergen cut through for a lay-up to tie the game up 47 with 7:09 left, but the Trojans (24-4 overall) hit three three-pointers during a 12-2 burst over the next two minutes to take a 58-49 lead.
Southland led 25-20 at the half, but the Trojans took a 30-26 lead early in the second half on a three by Carson Johnson. The Rebels never held another lead after RP’s surge to start the second half.
“We should’ve been up by more. We missed a lot of lay-ups in the first half and that hurt us,” Koenigs said. “In the second half, they got really hot and we made a couple of mistakes on switches.”
The Trojans held a 14-13 lead with 5:06 left in the first half, but the Rebels put together a 9-0 charge that was capped by a three-point play by Wiste that made it 22-14. Senior Noah Goergen added a three-pointer with 28.5 seconds left in the first half and the Rebels led 25-20 at the break.
The Rebels struggled on offense early on as they scored just four points in the first 10 minutes, but their defense kept them in it as they only trailed 9-4.
Noah finished with 18 points in his final game as a Rebel, sophomore Henry Wiste added 16 points, 11 rebounds and three steals, and Tate Goergen registered 18 points.
“I love this team. There is no doubt about it that it’s going to be one of my favorite teams that I’ve ever coached,” Koenigs said. “Practices were fun, they got along so well and they didn’t care about stats. It was just about wins. They’re one of the hardest working teams I’ve had and they’re fun kids. I’m going to miss the heck out of the senior class. Hopefully what they brought to the program will rub off on some of the younger kids.”
RP 20 47 – 67
Southland 25 36 – 61
Southland scoring: Tate Goergen, 18; Noah Goergen, 18; Henry Wiste, 16; Cole Miller, 8; Maverick Hannah, 2
RP scoring: Cayden Lea, 23; Jaxxon Meldahl, 13; William LaFleuer, 8; Carson Johnson, 7; Cole Thompson, 6; Caden Johnson, 3; Landon Dahl, 3; Zach Baker, 2
