Crookston started the game on a 10-0 run and they ended the game by scoring the final 26 points as they cruised to a 52-24 victory over the East Grand Forks Green Wave in a Section 8AA game played at East Grand Forks.
FIRST HALF
Crookston had a slow start to the game with back-to-back turnovers, but they settled down and went on a 10-0 run that started with an Emma Boll layup a little over two minutes into the game. Emma Boll always seems to score the first Pirate points of the game and she did it again with back-to-back baskets for a quick 4-0 lead. Halle Winjum followed with a basket, Emma Borowicz followed with four straight points for a 10-0 Pirate lead with over 11 minutes left in the half. “It was a great start and we were playing great defense,” said Pirate Coach Darin Zimmerman. “Emma Boll prepares well and is always ready to go and she probably had her best defensive game of the year.” East Grand Forks scored their first points of the game with 11:08 left in the half.
Crookston kept their lead around 10 points for several minutes and late in the half and led 16-6 with 7:17 remaining. East Grand Forks picked up the offense and scored four straight points to get within six points (16-10) and the teams played even the rest of the half and Crookston led 21-15 going into halftime. “We struggled on the offensive end and we were executing like we can,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We were happy with our defense in the half, especially only giving up 15 points.”
SECOND HALF
East Grand Forks started the second half on a 9-5 run to get within a 26-24 deficit with 11:30 left in the game. “The girls wouldn’t shoot open shots and we didn’t have efficiency early,” said Coach Zimmerman. The Green Wave getting within two points didn’t sit well with Crookston as they put the clamps down on the defensive side of the ball and DID NOT give up a point the rest of the way. Crookston scored four points over a two-minute span for a 30-24 lead halfway through the half. Crookston kept it going with Emma Borowicz followed with a three-pointer, Halle Winjum added a basket and after an Emma Borowicz steal, Hayden Winjum grabbed an offensive rebound and passed to Halle for her fourth straight point and a 37-24 lead. The Borowicz sisters (Emma and Abby) had back-to-back baskets before Emma had a steal for a layup for a 43-24 lead with five minutes left. Crookston kept the defense going and Emma Osborn scored after a steal, Halle Winjum scored after an offensive rebound and added another basket on a beautiful jump stop and layup on a Fastbreak. Crookston added three more points in the final minutes and won the game 52-24. “Overall we played strong and were good defensively the entire game,” said Coach Zimmerman. “We really played some good basketball in the last 11 minutes of the game. We shot well, we played great defense, and we were executing.”
Crookston improves to 4-1 on the year and will host Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton on Monday. East Grand Forks drops to 1-3 on the season.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| CROOKSTON | 21 | 31 | 52 |
| East Grand Forks | 15 | 9 | 24 |
| For Crookston | Points |
| Emma Borowicz | 17 |
| Halle Winjum | 10 |
| Emma Osborn | 8 |
| Abby Borowicz | 4 |
| Emma Boll | 4 |
| Jenna Coauette | 4 |
| Hayden Winjum | 3 |
| Ally Perreault | 2 |
| For East Grand Forks | Points |
| Kadyn Melquist | 8 |
| Brynn Havis | 6 |
| Maddy Manger | 3 |
| Alison Kovar | 2 |
| Caitlynn Hovde | 2 |
| Ella Eggers | 2 |
| Hannah Jensen-Jelus | 1 |
