The Crookston Pirates girl’s basketball team used a balanced attack in the first half to cruise to a 71-42 win over Park Rapids in a Section 8AA game played at the Crookston High School Gymnasium.
FIRST HALF –
Hayden Winjum attacked the rim on Crookston’s opening possession as she was fouled attempting a lay-up before she was fouled. Winjum made one free-throw for a point before Kasey Cwikla scored a lay-up giving the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Park Rapids’ Holly Johnson made a jump shot cutting the deficit down to 3-2. Gretchen Theis made a lay-up through the foul adding a free-throw increasing the Pirates’ lead to 6-2. Emma Borowicz knocked down a baseline jump shot pushing Crookston’s lead to 8-2. Borowicz added a lay-up extending Crookston’s run while giving the hosts a 10-2 lead. Gretchen Theis added two more free-throws to make it 12-2. Tori Weaver stopped the Crookston run with a three-pointer trimming Park Rapids’ deficit down to 12-5. Hayden Winjum scored at the rim in transition pushing the Pirates ahead 14-5 before Emma Boll hauled down an offensive rebound laying it back up giving Crookston a 16-5 lead. Abby Borowicz earned a trip to the free-throw line after an offensive rebound making a free-throw before Emma Boll scored a lay-up establishing a 19-5 lead. Hayden Winjum scored a lay-up through a foul extending Crookston’s lead to 22-5. The two sides traded baskets with Crookston leading 33-15 before Hayden Winjum earned a trip to the free-throw line with 1:38 to play in the half. Winjum swished one free-throw increasing Crookston’s lead to 34-15. Katie Burlingame added a lay-up through a foul trimming the Panthers’ deficit down to 36-19 at halftime. “A lot of times our defense dictates the way we play,” explained Crookston head coach Darin Zimmerman. “It was important to get some steals and get some runout and some easy points. I thought we really executed in the half-court (offense) as well. We probably had one of our cleaner games with our half-court offense.”
SECOND HALF –
Crookston opened the second half with a quick offensive spurt putting the game away for good. Hayden Winjum scored off a steal putting the Pirates in front 36-17. Kasey Cwikla continued an 8-0 run with a basket that ended with the Pirates leading 46-21. “We had a great start to the second half,” noted Zimmerman. “That gave us some momentum for the rest of the half and we picked it up defensively.” Crookston continued to cruise the rest of the night before closing out a convincing 71-42 win. “For 36 minutes I thought we were pretty consistent,” said Zimmerman. “Offensively, I thought we had one of our better games tonight. We moved the ball well. We got multiple girls involved and made some shots. That was good to see because Park Rapids is generally a pretty good defensive team.”
Crookston improves to 10-2. The Pirates return to the court on Friday when they host Virginia at 7:30 P.M. Park Rapids falls to 3-9.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Park Rapids | 19 | 23 | 42 |
| CROOKSTON | 36 | 35 | 71 |
| For Crookston | Points | Rebound | Steals/Assists |
| Hayden Winjum | 17 | 6 | 8 steals |
| Emma Borowicz | 15 | 4 | |
| Emma Boll | 9 | 5 | |
| Kasey Cwikla | 8 | 3 steals | |
| Gretchen Theis | 7 | 3 | |
| Halle Winjum | 4 | 3 steals | |
| Dani Boyle | 4 | ||
| Abby Borowicz | 3 | 2 | |
| Amelia Overgaard | 2 | ||
| Ally Perreault | 2 |
| For Park Rapids | Points |
| Rilee Michaelson | 12 |
| Tori Weaver | 9 |
| Paige Johnson | 5 |
| Madison Soldwisch | 5 |
| Katie Burlingame | 3 |
| Abby Morris | 3 |
| Olivia Davis | 3 |
| Holly Johnson | 2 |
