Red Lake County pulls away to beat Stephen-Argyle to win the Section 8A title again

The Red Lake County Rebel boys basketball team used a big run late in the first half and had another big run in the second half to pull away for a 68-52 victory over the Stephen-Argyle Storm in the Section 8A Boys Basketball Championship game at Ralph Englestad Arena in Thief River Falls.

FIRST HALF –
Red Lake County started strong on the defensive end and forced several Stephen-Argyle turnovers and jumped out to a 5-0 lead with an Ethan Johnson three-pointer and a basket from Connor Duden. Stephen-Argyle got on the board on an Anders Thompson three-pointer less than four minutes into the game to get within a 5-3 deficit. Red Lake County’s Ben Gullingsrud answered with a three-pointer before the Storm brought in 6’10 senior Jake Carlson, who got the ball in the post, got a bucket, and was fouled. He converted the free throw for a three-point play to bring the Storm within a 7-6 deficit. Red Lake County led 9-8 with a rare four-point play as Duden made a three-pointer and was fouled. He made the free throw for a 13-8 lead. The teams traded baskets for several minutes. After a Will Gieseke three-point play, the Rebels led 22-15 when Stephen-Argyle went on a 6-0 run with a Caden Pagnac free throw, a Carlson basket, and a three-pointer from Dylan Widner to bring the Storm within a 22-21 deficit with 7:40 left in the half. Red Lake County answered in a big way as they went on a 17-3 run over six minute span. The run was led by Duden with eight points, Will Gieseke added four, Ben Gullingsrud added a three-pointer, and a basket from Ethan Johnson, and the Rebels led 39-24 with 1:15 left in the half. The Storm ended the half with the final four points on baskets from Owen Widner and Carlson, and Red Lake County took a 39-28 lead into halftime.

SECOND HALF –
Stephen-Argyle started the second half on a 7-0 run as Raydon Woinarowicz made a basket and then converted a tough three-point play, followed by a nice spinning shot in the paint by Pagnac to get within a 39-35 deficit three minutes into the half. Red Lake County finally got on the board with a tough basket by Gieseke, and that was followed by a Storm turnover that led to a Gullingsrud basket, and the Rebels led 41-35. After the Storm made a basket to get within a 41-37 with 12:40 left, the Rebels used suffocating defense and some outstanding offense to go on an 18-2 run. The Rebels’ Duden had seven points, Gieseke had six, and Gullingsrud chipped in five for a 59-39 lead with 6:12 left in the game. Stephen-Argyle regrouped and put together an 8-0 run with three points from Dylan Widner, two points each from Pagnac and Woinarowicz, along with a free throw from Thompson, to get within a 59-47 deficit with 3:40 left in the game. It looked like the Storm had all the momentum in their favor until the Rebels’ Johnson buried a three-pointer and followed it with a basket before Gieseke had a tough basket to cap a 6-0 run for a 66-47 lead with 1:55 remaining. Stephen-Argyle outscored the Rebels 5-2 the rest of the way, and Red Lake County won the game 68-52.
Red Lake County continued to wear their opponents down as they held their opponents in the final three playoff games to a total of 48 second-half points (9, 15, and 24)

Red Lake County improves to 28-3 on the year and will make its second straight trip to state. The trip is also the second-ever state basketball tournament appearance. The Rebels will find out who they play after the seeding meeting on Tuesday March 17. Stephen-Argyle’s season comes to an end at 24-7, and say goodbye to the following seniors: Jake Carlson, Caden Pagnac, Raydon Woinarowicz, Shay Setterholm, Anders Thompson, and Dylan Widner.