PIRATE GIRLS BASKETBALL BEAT BARNESVILLE

The Crookston Pirate Girls Basketball team played a stellar defensive game and struggled a bit on the offensive end, but made plays when they needed them and held on for a 35-27 victory over Barnesville in a Section 8AA game played in Barnesville.

Crookston couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game with a 10-1 run.  Dani Boyle started the scoring with a three-pointer from the left wing and after a Barnesville free throw the Pirates’ Hayden Winjum scored, Emma Borowicz scored on a nice give and go and after a Trojan timeout and Pirate steal, Crookston’s Hayden Winjum banked in a three-point shot for a 10-1 lead over four minutes into the game.  “It was a good start with really good defense and we made some open shots,” said Pirate Coach Darrin Zimmerman. “It was key for us to get it going defensively and it never hurts when you get a bank shot, but we will take it.”  Barnesville started to figure out the Pirate zone and scored back-to-back baskets to cut the Crookston lead down to five points (10-5), but Hayden Winjum continued her suffocating defense and hustle recording a steal and offensive rebound before getting fouled on a shot and she made two free throws and Kylie Solheim had a nice drive for a basket.  Barnesville stopped the Crookston mini-run with a basket, but the Pirates’ Boyle buried a three-pointer from the top of the key and Crookston had their biggest lead 17-7 with 4:22 left in the half.  Neither team scored for over three minutes until Crookston’s Emma Boll grabbed an offensive rebound and scored a basket for a 19-7 lead.  Barnesville wrapped up the first half scoring with two free throws within the last minute and Crookston took a 19-9 lead into halftime.  The Crookston zone defense and full-court pressure gave Barnesville problems the entire half, which was evident with only nine parents scored in the half.  “We really played well on the defensive end and that was nice to see,” said Coach Zimmerman.  “The girls played hard and we switched up defenses which seemed to help.”
Barnesville came out strong to start the second half and outscored the Pirates 6-3 in the first five minutes to cut Crookston’s lead to seven points 22-15.  The teams exchanged baskets before Gretchen Theis had a nice spin move in the lane for a basket and Borowicz followed with a steal and a layup for a 28-17 lead with 9:33 left in the half, forcing Barnesville to call a timeout.  Whatever Barnesville coach Ryan Bomstad said during the timeout worked because the Trojans went on an 8-2 run over a five-minute span and Crookston’s lead was five points (30-25) with 4:31 left in the game.  “I don’t know if we took our foot off the pedal or if what Barnesville picking up their play or a little bit of both,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We settled down and were able to regain our composure and started boxing out.” Crookston finally stopped the run with a Boyle drive and layup and neither team scored for over two minutes. Hayden Winjum finally broke the scoreless streak with a steal at half court for a layup and Rachel Hefta made a free throw and the Pirates led 35-25 with 40 seconds left in the game.  Barnesville missed four straight free throws in an eight-second span before they added a basket with 10 seconds left and Crookston held on for a 35-27 victory.  Hayden Winjum led the Pirates with 10 points, six rebounds and six steals in the game. “Hayden was outstanding tonight and had a very good game,” said Coach Zimmerman. “She was great on the defensive end and made it tough for Barnesville all night long.”
Crookston improves to 6-1 on the year and they will host Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton on Thursday in a big Section 8AA matchup.  Barnesville drops to 4-4 on the year.
J.V. – Crookston won 33-28     C-Squad-Barnesville won 42-7

Rachel Hefta with a jump shot   Kylie Solheim pulls up for the jumper

Emma Borowicz goes up for a layup