7AA SEMIFINALS
Two contrasting styles were on display at UM Duluth on Wednesday
evening and both styles claimed a victory. Proctor was deliberate, methodical, and patient. They only had 53 possessions in the game and scored on every 6.19 touches. Duluth Marshall utilized speed and quickness. They generated 16 more possessions (69) and scored ever 3.59 touches. The Hilltoppers also unleashed from behind the arc with 11 triples on the night. Proctor converted four. The Rails were 8/11 on lay ups. Oddly enough, DM, a team known to run, run, run had fewer chances at 6/9.
Which style will prevail on Friday is up in the air. D Marshall is looking for their first visit to state since 2000. Proctor’s last visit came in 2001.
PROCTOR 59, PEQUOT LAKES 44
The Rails trailed in the early going in this game 19-15. Then they clamped down on defense. Proctor finished the last nine minutes of the half with a 15-3 kick. They took the lead for good on a three from Morgan Nylund at 20-19. Eight trips the Patriots came up empty, as a result they were forced to play catch up the rest of the way. Down the stretch (which meant the last five minutes) Proctor scored on eight of nine possessions, mostly after PL tried to foul to get the ball back. The margin did not move dramatically.
PL had three starters that did most of the heavy lifting on offense. Combined they had 38 points and shot 12/26; the rest of the squad was 0/4 from 2s. Proctor had contributions from all seven players that played.
The reason for this trip was PL, the only team I had yet to chart that was playing on Wednesday.
| PROCTOR | PEQUOT LAKES | |
| Points | 59 | 44 |
| Rebounds/off | 31/12 | 21/8 |
| Turnovers | 10 | 13 |
| FTA/% | 22/59.09 | 12/66.67 |
| 2%/3% | 58.62/30.76 | 40.00/33.33 |
| PP100 | 111.3 | 83.0 |
| Leading Scorer | Morgan Nylund 16 | Olivia Lane 16 |
TRENCH PLAYER: Proctor’s 5-8 junior guard Morgan Nylund with 16 points, 123.1 pp100 and a 25 score in the 31 Club. She also was a big disruptor on defense notching a game high 3 disruptions.
DULUTH MARSHALL 78, AITKIN 64
The Hilltoppers have a dynamic duo on Gianna Kneepkens and Grace Kirk (The Gs). Now they can add another weapon to their arsenal with the eruption of Merlea Mrozik on Wednesday. The 5-8 sophomore knocked down seven 3s, mostly from the right corner on her way to 23 points giving DM a three headed monster now. In the previous two games I charted against Ashland, WI and Cromwell Mrozik delivered a total of zero points. DM needed all of those points in holding off Aitkin. The Gobblers, a surprise winner over #1 South seed Esko, trailed 35-14 with four minutes left in the first half. Shovels of dirt were being ready to toss on the grave. A 12-4 finish gave Aitkin renewed hope heading into the second half (39-26). The Aitkin resurgence carried over into the second half. With 3:24 left, after a old fashioned three point play from Lydia Fellerman, Aitkin had cut the lead to a nail biting 66-62 margin. DM would score on six of their last eight possessions to cap the win. Aitkin had spent a lot of energy in the comeback and could only muster two more points the rest of the way. The coup de grâce came with Mrozik’s final 3 to make it 73-63 with 1:40 left.
| DULUTH MARSHALL | AITKIN | |
| Points | 78 | 64 |
| Rebounds/off | 40/13 | 36/8 |
| Turnovers | 9 | 17 |
| FTA/% | 18/83.33 | 17/52.94 |
| 2%/3% | 40.54/40.74 | 52.63/31.25 |
| PP100 | 113.0 | 91.4 |
| Leading Scorer | Gianna Kneepkens 27 | Kaija Davies 16 |
TRENCH PLAYER: DM’s 5-10 sophomore guard Gianna Kneepkens with 27 points, 158.8 pp100 and 43 in the 31 Club