The Stephen-Argyle Storm only allowed five points in the final nine minutes of the game to beat the Red Lake Falls Eagles 67-58 in a Section 8A Girls Basketball tournament semi-final game played in Stephen.
FIRST HALF
The game was as billed in the first half, with the teams going back-and-forth with ties at 2, 4, and 6. Red Lake Falls’ Hollie Knott made a three-pointer to take a 9-6 lead. After the teams exchanged baskets, Red Lake Falls led 11-8 four minutes into the game. Stephen Argyle answered with baskets from Emily Gunderson and Riley Mooney, and a big spark off the bench was Liv Efta, the 5’4 freshman who scored in the paint for a 14-11 lead with 11:21 left in the half. Red Lake Falls answered with a Gabby Casavan basket, and Brooklyn Cardinal was fouled, and it was the seventh Storm foul of the game, so she made both free throws to give the Eagles a 15-14 lead with 8:51 remaining in the half.
Stephen-Argyle took the lead back with a Macy Haugen basket and a three-pointer for Leah Johnson for a 19-15 lead, a lead the Storm would keep the rest of the game. It was a one or two-possession lead the rest of the half, and Stephen-Argyle took a 39-36 lead into halftime after a late Mooney basket. “We were happy to have the lead at halftime,” said Storm Coach Heidi Carlson. “We missed a few layups and gave up a few easy plays, but overall we were happy with the half.” Red Lake Falls was 9 of 9 from the free-throw line in the first half. “That is great,” said RLF Coach Remick. “That is usually a struggle for us. That was good to see, and the girls played hard and played well.”
SECOND HALF
Red Lake Falls cut the lead to one point in the first minute of the half with two Clara Girdler free throws, but Stephen-Argyle answered with a 6-0 run with baskets from Greta Weberg, Grace Carlson, and Mooney for a 45-38 lead less than three minutes into the half. Stephen-Argyle led 55-47 with 10 minutes left in the game before Red Lake Falls went on a 6-0 run with baskets from Cardinal, and Casavan and Girdler added two free throws to get within a 55-53 deficit with 9:22 remaining. Red Lake Falls would only score five points the rest of the half. “We just couldn’t get over the hump,” said RLF Coach Remick. “We couldn’t get enough to get over the top. We have to give them credit because they played a heckuva ball game.” Stephen-Argyle led 61-55 with 5:12 left in the game, and neither team scored until the Storm’s Weberg made two free throws with 1:33 remaining for a 63-55 lead. The Storm made four of eight free throws and, more importantly, played stellar defense in the last minute to hold on for the 67-58 victory. “Tonight, it didn’t matter who we put out there because everybody that played did a great job tonight,” said Storm Coach Carlson. “I am so proud of these girls and how they played tonight. They worked so hard and made plays and free throws when we needed them.”
Stephen-Argyle improves to 17-3 on the year and will take on Cass Lake-Bena in the Section 8A Girls Basketball Championship game at 7:00 p.m. You can hear the game on KROX Radio and watch the game on the KROX video stream with a RiverView Health pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. Click here for the link to the video stream. “I really believe in these girls, and I have believed in them all year,” said Coach Carlson. “I knew they could do great things coming into the year, and they have. We are looking forward to playing on Friday.”
Red Lake Falls ends their outstanding season with a 16-4 record. “It hurts now, but we had a great run and a very successful year,” said Coach Remick. ” Red Lake Falls will say goodbye to five seniors – Hallie Harmoning, Hollie Knott, Maisy Hoefer, Clara Girdler, and Sienna Olson. “All five of them and Katrina Olson who couldn’t play because of a medical condition, they all put in a lot of time, and they are all good kids and do well in school. They are involved in other sports and music. I have a special connection with them. Hollie is my niece, Gabby is a cousin of mine, and I either played with some of their uncles. It is always tough, and it will be tough tonight. The state came out and gave us 18 games, and we played all 18 games. We won a conference championship and made it to the subsection championship,” said Coach Remick. “In the last 32 years, 28 of them have been winning seasons. These girls continued the tradition, and hats off to the girls.”
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Red Lake Falls | 36 | 22 | 58 |
| Stephen-Argyle | 39 | 28 | 67 |
| For Stephen-A | Points |
| Riley Mooney | 20 |
| Grace Carlson | 12 |
| Greta Weberg | 7 |
| Mary Kazmierczak | 5 |
| Macy Haugen | 5 |
| Leah Johnson | 4 |
| Casey Osowski | 4 |
| Emily Gunderson | 4 |
| Liv Efta | 4 |
| Josie Rivard | 2 |
| For Red Lake Falls | Points |
| Gabby Casavan | 17 |
| Clara Girdler | 12 |
| Sienna Olson | 10 |
| Brooklyn Cardinal | 9 |
| Hollie Knott | 8 |
| Maisy Hoefer | 2 |
