The Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball team ended the first half on a 21-1 run and never looked back as they won their 14th game in a row with a 55-30 victory over Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton in a Section 8AA game played in Crookston.
FIRST HALF –
It was a defensive battle and/or an offensive struggle in the first 10 minutes of the game as Crookston built a 7-2 lead with baskets from Halle Winjum and Emma Osborn and a three-pointer from Halle for the five-point lead over four minutes into the game. Crookston had a 14-10 lead with over seven minutes remaining in the half when they started to head up offensively. “We weren’t smooth in our cutting and transitions. We also tried to force things and were a little too aggressive with our passes,” said Pirate Coach Darin Zimmerman. “Same thing defensively we were a step or two off and the game had a slower pace to start.” The Pirates ended the half on a 21-1 run. The run began with a basket from Halle Winjum a three-pointer from Hayden Winjum, and after a DGF free throw, Crookston scored the following 16 points. Hayden Winjum made a running bank shot followed by a three-pointer from Abby Borowicz before Osborn nailed back-to-back three-pointers. Halle Winjum made a basket and followed it up with a three-pointer right before the buzzer, and the Pirates led 35-11 at halftime. “It was a great finish to the half, no doubt about it,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We were pretty solid to start the game, but we kind of amped it up defensively, especially in the back court and we have some good shooters and they were making some shots with some open looks.”
SECOND HALF –
Crookston started the second half with a beautiful post move and basket from Ally Perreault and a Halle Winjum free throw for a 38-11 lead. “It was a good start and Ally had a beautiful move to start the half,” said Coach Zimmerman. After a DGF three-pointer, Crookston responded with another Perreault basket and an Osborn three-pointer for a 43-14 lead. DGF scored four straight points before Crookston took a 47-18 lead after baskets from Libby Salentine and a steal and layup from Osborn, and the Pirates went to the bench with 8:50 left in the game. DGF scored three points before Crookston’s Bailey Cameron buried a three-pointer, followed up with a Borowicz three for a 53-21 lead with 5:14 remaining in the game. “Bailey probably is one of our better shooters on the team,” said Coach Zimmerman. “It was good to see her get another one.” Crookston only scored two points in the final five minutes with a nice basket from Hannah Loraas, and the Pirates won 55-30 to win their 14th game in a row. “I am pleased and proud of how the girls played and listened and executed our adjustments we talked about during timeouts and at halftime,” said Coach Zimmerman. “This team makes adjustments very well and continues to play well.”
Crookston improves to 17-2 on the year and will take on #4 ranked and defending North Dakota Class B defending champion Grafton Spoilers on Thursday in Grafton, North Dakota. You can listen to the game on KROX Radio. DGF drops to 4-13 on the year.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Dilworth-G-F | 11 | 19 | 30 |
| CROOKSTON | 35 | 20 | 55 |
| For CROOKSTON | Points | Rebounds | Assists/Steals |
| Emma Osborn | 18 | 3 | 3 steals |
| Halle Winjum | 11 | 3 | 4 assists/3 steals |
| Hayden Winjum | 9 | 4 | 6 steals/3 assists |
| Abby Borowicz | 6 | 3 | 2 steals |
| Ally Perreault | 4 | 2 assists/2 steals | |
| Bailey Cameron | 3 | 2 | |
| Libby Salentine | 2 | 2 | |
| Hannah Loraas | 2 |
| For D-G-F | Points |
| Ashley Taves | 9 |
| Makayla Winter | 6 |
| Aria Garrett | 6 |
| Greta DeVries | 3 |
| MaKayla Bjelland | 3 |
| Annaliese Aas | 3 |
