Kenadi Arndt of the Vikings drives to the basket between Lakeview defenders Aleiah Rosenau (20) and Mallory Ebnet, right.

Vikings roll into 3A-North final

Top-seeded Minneota tops Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in semis, 59-43

After a slow start, Minneota revved up its engines and steamrolled Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 59-43 in the Section 3A-North semifinals Tuesday at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
Top-seeded Minneota (24-4) now takes on No. 6 MACCRAY, which pulled off its second straight upset with a 48-47 win over No. 2 Lac qui Parle Valley, at 8 p.m. Friday at SMSU in the 3A-North finals.
The Vikings fell behind 5-0 before going on an 18-0 run en route to a 24-12 halftime lead. Senior shooting guard McKenna Yost had 10 of the Vikings' 24 points in the first half on her way to a game-high 15 points, including three 3-pointers. Yost also had five steals.
Another 15-4 run early in the second half put the game out of reach for the No. 5 Knights, who lost to Minneota for the third time this season.
Senior point guard McKenzie Tolk, a defensive stalwart, continued her improvement on offense in recent games, scoring 11 points. After averaging 4 points per game over the Vikings' first 22 games, Tolk is averaging 8.5 ppg over the last six games.
Senior forward Natalee Rolbiecki added 10 points, while senior post Kennedi Jurrens had eight points and junior forward Ireland Stassen contributed seven.

Minneota 59, RTR 43
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton........................................12 31 - 43
Minneota...........................................................24 35 - 59

Team Statistics
Field goal shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 19-for-42, 45.2 percent. Minneota 24-for-47, 51.1 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 2-for-7, 28.6 percent. Minneota 5-for-11, 45.5 percent ... Rebounds: Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 17, Minneota 23.

RTR Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Gabrielle Borresen 4, Abigail Carr 2, Tatum Hess 5, Ella Hesse 9, Madison Lawrence 4, Allyson Nelson 4, Alexis Schreurs 2, Rylie Serryn 2, Camrie Swenson 3, Faith Thomsen 8 ... 3-pointers: Hess 1, Hesse 1 ... Rebound leader: Scheurs 3, Nelson 3 ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leader: Borresen 4, Hesse 4.

Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga ftm-fta points): Natalee Rolbiecki 4-8 2-4 10, Jeren Rost 0-5 0-2 0, McKenzie Tolk 4-7 2-2 11, McKenna Yost 5-5 2-2 15, Ireland Stassen 3-7 0-0 7, Grace Hennen 0-1 0-0 0, Kennedi Jurrens 4-4 0-1 8, Kenadi Arndt 1-4 0-0 2, Dakoda Hennen 2-3 0-0 4, Emma Bottelberghe 0-0 0-0 0, Morgan Moorse 0-1 0-0 0, Faith Myhre 1-2 0-0 0, Lyzah Sussner 0-0 0-0 0, Kiersyn Hulzebos 0-0 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Yost 3, Stassen 1, Tolk 1 ... Rebounds: Rost 5, Rolbiecki 4, Jurrens 4, Stassen 4, Yost 2, Tolk 2, Arndt 1, G.Hennen 1 ... Assists: G.Hennen 3, Yost 3, Rolbiecki 2, Rost 2, Tolk 1 ... Steals: Yost 5, Rolbiecki 3, Stassen 3, Rost 2, Tolk 2, Jurrens 1, G.Hennen 1, Arndt 1

Minneota 66, Lakeview 23
(Result Saturday, Feb. 26)
Jeren Rost had one of her best games of the season with 15 points and seven rebounds, Kennedi Jurrens scored a season-best 11 points off the bench, and McKenzie Tolk also had 11 points as the Vikings rolled in the section opener.
Minneota, the top seed in the North half of Section 3A, face No. 5 Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in the semifinals on Tuesday, March 1 at Southwest Minnesota State University.
Lakeview led 2-0 and 5-2 with Paige Viaene scoring all five Laker points.
Rost, who had 12 of her points in the first half, scored seven of the Vikings' first nine points on a three-pointer and two layups for a 9-7 lead they would not relinquish. From there, Minneota outscored Lakeview 30-5 the rest of the first half for a 39-12 cushion at intermission. Jurrens had eight points in the first half. It was the 5-11 senior's first double-digit game of the season.
Tolk made 4 of 5 shots from the field, all on drives to the basket, and cashed all three of her free-throw attempts.
Natalee Rolbiecki had nine points, five rebounds, three assists and four steals. McKenna Yost had six points, three assists and four steals. Kenadi Arndt had five points and a team-high eight rebounds.
The Vikings had 27 steals with Ireland Stassen leading the way with six.
All 14 players saw action for the Vikings with the reserves contributing 22 points.
Viaene led Lakeview with eight points.

(MINNEOTA 66, LAKEVIEW 23)
Lakeview...........................................................12 11 - 23
Minneota..........................................................39 27 - 66

Team Statistics
Field goal shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Lakeview 8-for-30, 26.7 percent. Minneota 23-for-60, 40.8 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Lakeview 1-for-9, 11.1 percent. Minneota 3-for-15, 20.0 percent ... Rebounds: Lakeview 19, Minneota 41.

Lakeview Individual Statistics
Scoring (gfgm-fga ftm-fta points): McKenzy Grunewald 0-1 0-3 0, Lexy Hartle 0-1 0-0 0, Korysa Herrick 0-2 0-0 0, Shelby Justesen 0-3 1-2 1, Chloe Louwagie 1-2 0-0 2, Faith Louwagie 0-2 4-6 4, Grace Rausch 1-2 0-0 2, Aleiah Rosenau 1-2 0-0 2, Paige Viaene 3-10 1-2 8, Leah Wymer 2-5 0-2 4, Mallory Ebnet 0-0 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Viaene 1 ... Rebound leader: Grunewald 4, Rausch 4 ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leader: Grunewald 2, Viaene 2.

Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga ftm-fta points): Natalee Rolbiecki 2-8 5-8 9, Jeren Rost 6-10 2-4 15, McKenzie Tolk 4-5 3-3 11, McKenna Yost 1-3 3-4 6, Ireland Stassen 1-5 1-3 3, Grace Hennen 1-3 0-0 2, Kennedi Jurrens 5-9 1-4 11, Kenadi Arndt 2-9 0-0 5, Dakoda Hennen 0-4 2-3 2, Emma Bottelberghe 0-0 0-0 0, Morgan Moorse 1-2 0-2 2, Faith Myhre 0-2 0-0 0, Lyzah Sussner 0-0 0-0 0, Kiersyn Hulzebos 0-0 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Yost 1, Rost 1, Arndt 1 ... Rebounds: Arndt 8, Rost 7, Stassen 6, Rolbiecki 5, G.Hennen 5, Jurrens 4, Yost 2, Tolk 2, D.Hennen 1, Hulzebos 1 ... Assists: Yost 3, Rolbiecki 3, G.Hennen 3, Tolk 2, Arndt 1, Stassen 1 ... Steals: Stassen 6, Rolbiecki 4, Yost 4, Jurrens 3, Tolk 3, G.Hennen 2, Jurrens 2, D.Hennen 1, Myhre 1, Rost 1

SECTION 3A-NORTH
(First round Feb. 24)
1. Lakeview 55, Dawson-Boyd 50
(Quarterfinals Feb. 26 at Montevideo)
2. Minneota 66, Lakeview 23
3. Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 74, Yellow Medicine East 62
4. Lac qui Parle Valley 53, Wabasso 26
5. MACCRAY 51, Canby 42
(Semifinals March 1 at SMSU)
6. Minneota 59, RTR 43
7. MACCRAY 48, LQPV 47
(Final March 4 at SMSU)
8. Minneota vs. MACCRAY, 8 p.m.

SECTION 3A-SOUTH
(First round Feb. 24)
1. Adrian-Ellsworth 56, Murray County Central 47
(Quarterfinals Feb. 24 at Worthington)
2. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 79, Adrian-Ellsworth 31
3. Red Rock Central 51, Edgerton 35
4. Southwest Christian 67, Westbrook-Walnut Grove 27
5. Hills-Beaver Creek 61, Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda 51
(Semifinals March 1 at Worthington)
6. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 71, Red Rock 39
7. SW Christian 75, Hills-Beaver Creek 43
(Final March 4 at Worthington)
8. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton vs. SW Christian, 6 p.m.

SECTION 3A
(Championship March 11 at SMSU)
9. 3A-North winner vs. 3A-South winner, 5 p.m.

Mayer Lutheran 61, Minneota 45
(Result Wednesday, Feb. 23)
Mayer Lutheran is fast becoming Minneota's archrival. After beating the Vikings in the Class A state volleyball championship this past fall, the Crusaders followed a week later and beat Minneota in Class A state football championship.
The Crusaders added a third win over the Vikings on Wednesday night on their home court, scorching the nets by shooting 67 percent from the field.
Mayer Lutheran (23-3), ranked No. 5 in Class A, had too much height for Minneota and outrebounded the Vikings by a 2 to 1 margin.
Emma Lade paced the Crusaders with 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Julia Carns, a 6-1 forward, scored 12 points; Madeline Guetzkow, a 5-11 junior forward, had 10 points; and Lilly Wachholz, a 6-2 senior post, had eight points.
Minneota (22-4), ranked No. 8 in Class A, played a strong first half and led the Crusaders 23-22 at halftime. But the Crusaders went on an 11-2 run early in the second half and the Vikings never recovered.
McKenna Yost made 7 of 10 shots from the floor and led Minnesota with 17 points, while Natalee Rolbiecki had 10 points. Ireland Stassen and Jeren Rost had six points each, McKenzie Tolk four and Kennedi Jurrens two.
Minneota, a good three-point shooting team, made just 1 of 10 shots from beyond the arc.
The Vikings grabbed a 25-22 to start the second half when Tolk scored on a drive to the basket.
Trailing 25-24, Mayer Lutheran took a 27-25 lead when Lade cashed a three-pointer from the corner and the Crusaders never trailed again.
Both teams exchanged baskets before the Crusaders went on their 11-2 run for a 40-29 lead. Minneota would not get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

(MAYER LUTHERAN 61, MINNEOTA 45)
Mayer Lutheran...........................................22 39 - 61
Minneota.....................................................23 22 - 45

Team Statistics
Field goal shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Mayer Lutheran 28-for-42, 66.7 percent. Minneota 18-for-47, 38.3 percent ... 3-point shooting (good-attempts-pct.): Mayer Lutheran 2-for-5, 40.0 percent. Minneota 1-for-10, 10.0 percent ... Rebounds: Mayer Lutheran 20, Minneota 10.

Mayer Lutheran Individual Statistics
Scoring (total points): Carns 12, Guetzkow 10, Lade 21, Maass 2, Martin 4, Norenberg 4, Wachholz 8 ... 3-pointers: Lade 1, Wachholz 1 ... Rebound leader: Carns 5, Wachholz 5 ... Assist leader: not available ... Steal leader: Guetzkow 3.

Minneota Individual Statistics
Scoring (fgm-fga ftm-fta points): Natalee Rolbiecki 3-8 4-6 10, Jeren Rost 3-5 0-0 6, McKenzie Tolk 2-8 0-0 4, McKenna Yost 7-10 2-2 17, Ireland Stassen 2-10 2-4 6, Grace Hennen 0-0 0-0 0, Kennedi Jurrens 1-4 0-0 2, Kenadi Arndt 0-2 0-0 0 ... 3-pointers: Yost 1 ... Rebounds: Stassen 3, Rost 2, Rolbiecki 1, Yost 1, Arndt 1, Hennen 1, Jurrens 1 ... Assists: not available ... Steals: Tolk 5, Yost 4, Rost 3, Arndt 2, Rolbiecki 1.

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