The Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball team trailed by six points at halftime, but the Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines had a solid second half and pulled away for a 61-36 victory in a Section 8AA game played in Wadena.
FIRST HALF –
WDC made a three-pointer to start the game, but Crookston’s Naomi Johnson answered with a three-pointer of her own for a 3-3 tie. WDC answered with four points before Madi Bruggeman made a basket in the paint to get within a 7-5 deficit. The Wolverines went on a 10-0 run and led 17-7 with 11 minutes left in the half. Crookston settled down with two points apiece from Brooklyn Waldal, Chloe Boll, and a nice up-and-under move by Madi Bruggeman to bring the Pirates within an 18-11 deficit halfway through the half. WDC built a 26-12 lead before Crookston finished the half on an 8-0 run. Grace Boll scored two points with 3:07 left and Chloe Boll added six more points in the final three minutes and Crookston trailed 26-20 going into halftime.
SECOND HALF –
WDC picked up their play in the second half as they started the half on a 13-4 run for a 39-24 lead. Chloe Boll stopped the run with a basket to get within a 39-26 deficit with 9:50 left in the game. WDC went on a 10-1 run for a 49-27 lead before Crookston’s Bruggeman made a free throw. After a WDC three-pointer, Chloe Boll blew by the defense for a layup to get within a 52-30 deficit with 3:23 remaining. WDC led 59-31 before Naomi Johnson scored with 1:45 left. The Wolverines made a basket, and Crookston’s Halle Nicholas ended the game with a long three-pointer from the volleyball line as time expired and the Wolverines won the game 61-33.
Crookston drops to 3-4 on the year and will be at Roseau on Tuesday. Wadena-Deer Creek improves to 6-0.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Crookston | 20 | 13 | 33 |
| Wadena-Deer Creek | 26 | 35 | 61 |
| For Crookston | Points | Rebounds | Assists/steals |
| Chloe Boll | 16 | 6 | 1 assist/1 steal |
| Naomi Johnson | 7 | 5 | 1 steal |
| Madi Bruggeman | 5 | 6 | 1 assist |
| Brooklyn Waldal | 3 | 3 | |
| Halle Nicholas | 3 | 1 | |
| Grace Boll | 2 | 8 | 2 assists |
| For Wadena-Deer Creek | Points |
| Addison Gravelle | 18 |
| Montana Carsten | 10 |
| Payton Gravelle | 10 |
| Jada Dykhoff | 9 |
| Ashley Pavek | 4 |
| Jenna Dykhoff | 4 |
| Leah Osberg | 3 |
| Lily Parker | 2 |
| Kennedy Ness | 1 |
