2 BIG NINE SATURDAY GAMES
I traveled south for a couple of Big 9 games. Both had implications
for seeding in sections 1AAA and 2AAA respectively. Both were neighboring civil war type games. That is where the similarities ended. There was low scoring, and high scoring. There was a comeback and drama; and running time and no drama.
NORTHFIELD 39, FARIBAULT 33
The operation went well…..but the patient died. Faribault played like they wanted to play, but in the end #2AAA Northfield claimed the win. Faribault took their time on offense and negated, for most of the game, the Raiders’ substantial height advantage and depth. The Falcons took advantage of early misfires inside by the host Raiders, and controlled the tempo of the game. The average touch count for Faribault was 8.73 for the game. Northfield was 5.45 (and getting ahead of myself here, Mankato West was at 5.73 and East the lowest at 5.44). Faribault led 17-10 at half. On Thursday the Falcons hung a loss on Rochester Mayo in the same manner. Northfield bounced back in the second half, putting a little more heat on the Faribault perimeter.
This game also featured two point guards with the first name Grace: Amacher for Faribault and Touchette for Northfield. To illustrate how essential they were Amacher had 32% of the touches for her team; Touchette had 29%. Touchette claimed 69% of the Northfield bounces; Amacher had 59% of the Falcons’ bounces. Both encapsulated the desired playing style of their teams.
A 12-7 start in the first nine minutes of the second half tied the game at 22. Northfield took their first lead in the second half at 8:30 on a three from the right side by Taylor Ernste (25-24). After Faribault regained the lead on their next possession, Northfield responded with a pair of Touchette free throws. They never trailed again. Another 3 by Ernste stretched the lead to 33-27 with five and a half minutes remaining. A 3 by Faribault’s Rachel Hanson cut the margin to 35-33 with three minutes to go. Both teams traded missed 3s and then two turnovers on their next respective possessions. With 1:22 left Northfield hung on to the ball and eventually got the shot inside they wanted with leading scorer Annalee Olson-Sola scoring the insurance basket.
Faribault can take solace in the fact they can compete, using their game plan. Northfield can take solace in the fact they can rally from a substandard start. The two may meet again in section 1AAA. Northfield is now 15-2 on the year and 14-0 in the Big 9. Faribault dips to 8-9 and is now even 7-7 in the Big 9, (8th place).
MANKATO WEST 68, MANKATO EAST 27
This game was polar opposite of game one. It was not a grinder, or a nail biter. It was a running time blow out. Also youth was served. Faribault relies heavily on seniors. Northfield has five seniors in their rotation of nine. West also tilts in Northfield’s direction. But East started two eighth graders and West used one off the bench. The Scarlets used their experience, speed and depth in the first half to blast by their neighbors to the East. East scored on their first possession with 6-1 eighth grader Lexi Karge. After five and a half minutes & an East time out, West was up 17-5. On the next time out three and a half minutes later, West would have enough to win the game 31-7 (a 14-2 run). West topped the first game total at the 4:12 mark in the first half. At the break West led 47-17. The Scarlets could not keep up that intensity or execution in the second half. East could not make up lost ground.
West is now 12-6 on the year, 9-5 in the Big 9 (4th place right now). East is 4-12, 4-10 in the Big 9 (9th place). FYI the Big 9 has twelve teams. Why Big 9? They are located in nine communities (Rochester has 3 teams, Mankato 2).
With the three Big 9 teams checked off today I am at 54% for AAA. That isn’t has impressive as 98% in AAAA, but it is the class I have charted the second most at this rate. As for the QRF? I have 82 teams off the list, with 18 to go in four weeks of the regular season (plus three weeks of post season).
| Team | PP100 | scorer | Distributor | D stops |
| Northfield | 79.6 | Annalee Olson-Sola 10 | Grace Touchette 7 | Grace Touchette 8 |
| Faribault | 67.3 | Grace Amacher 15 | Two with 3 | Megan Gehrke 9 |
| Mankato West | 109.8 | Two with 12 | Lani Schoper 6 | Hailey Kiewiet 8 |
| Mankato East | 45.9 | Natalie Schisel 9 | Two with 3 | Two with 6 |
TRENCH PLAYER:
GAME 1: In the battle of the Graces it goes to Touchette.
GAME 2: This could go to a number of players. The numbers point to MW 8th grader Lani Schoper