CROOKSTON GIRL’S BASKETBALL CRUISE TO A WIN OVER EAST GRAND FORKS

The Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball team used their outstanding defense to spark an 18-2 run to start the game and they never looked back in a 55-21 victory over the East Grand Forks Green Wave in a Section 8AA game played in East Grand Forks.

FIRST HALF –
Crookston used their outstanding defense and three steals that led to three of the four baskets to start the game for an 8-0 Pirate lead. Four different Crookston players scored with Emma Borowicz (steal and layup), Gretchen Theis (offensive rebound and putback), Hayden Winjum (after an Emma Borowicz steal), Kasey Cwikla (after a Dani Boyle steal). “We came out and played as a team,” said the KROX and RBJ’s Pirate Player of the game, Gretchen Theis. “Our defense put us in a good spot and our defense has come a long way.”
East Grand Forks finally scored their first points of the game, almost four minutes into the game, when Emmy Heisler scored in the paint. The basket didn’t seem to help the Green Wave in the momentum department as Crookston responded with a 10-0 run. Cwikla started the run with a basket, Hayden Winjum and Abby Borowicz had a basket apiece, and Halle Winjum had four points to give the Pirates an 18-2 lead. “We had an exceptional start. The girls came out focused and with a lot of energy,” said Pirate Coach Darin Zimmerman. “When we are playing at our best our defense can turn mistakes into points.” East Grand Forks scored their second basket of the game with 8:16 left in the half after Chloe Torgerson rattled home a three-pointer. In the final eight minutes of the half Crookston outscored East Grand Forks 19-11 and took a 37-13 lead into halftime. “That was a great half, especially on the road here,” said Coach Zimmerman. “East Grand Forks has a nice team and to be able to hold them down in the first half was important.”

SECOND HALF –
Crookston started the second half on a 14-4 run with eight points from Theis, four points from Emma Borowicz, and a basket from Halle Winjum for a 51-17 lead halfway through the second half. Running time started when Crookston took a 55-19 lead with about seven minutes left and both teams were able to play all the players on the bench and Crookston won 55-21. “Everybody that played tonight did a great job for us,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We played a good first half and needed to come out for a strong second half and we did that. Overall it was a good game and we saw a lot of nice things and a complete game for the most part. We had the effort and urgency tonight.”
Crookston improves to 5-0 on the year and will play Thief River Falls at the Ralph Englestad Arena on Saturday in a double-header with the boys. East Grand Forks falls to 1-1 on the year.
J.V. – East Grand Forks won 44-42 C Squad – East Grand Forks won 30-14