7AA SEMIFINALS
You are probably wondering why this report is late. I generally generate the write up right after I get home. Even with five hour energy I felt I was about to crash. As soon as I got home it was off to sleep, especially since I didn’t get enough the night before.
It was the Ps and Es on Wednesday night in Duluth (my home for the next two days). Three of the teams I have already charted. That meant the whole purpose of the trip was to see Pequot Lakes. In early January I charted Esko and Proctor (won by the Rails). Late in February I caught Mesabi East at Two Harbors. The number one seeds would have led to a rematch of the January meeting, but Mesabi East iced Esko, dethroning the defending section 7AA champs and cancelled those plans.
PROCTOR 62, PEQUOT LAKES 43
Proctor throttled PL, but if you watched the first 8 minutes you might find that remarkable. Bre Sewall came out blazing hot for PL scoring eight of the first nine points. As a result, the Patriots held a 19-8 lead with 10 minutes to go in the first half. But PL only managed to score two more points the rest of the half as the offense struggled against the Rails. Proctor took advantage of this down time and went in front for good after a 3 by Eve Turner, who led both teams with 22 points, with 3:55 left in the first half (22-19). By half Proctor led 26-21. Four minutes into the second half the trajectory of the game was not veering off course as the Rails led by ten (35-25).
One area Proctor shined was in lay ups at 89% (8/9). That fact helps explain their 57% shooting from 2.
Pequot was #131 on the list and my guess is they will not stay in that position.
Proctor moves to the 7AA title game with a 23-6 mark. PL finishes at 18-11.
MESABI EAST 65, ESKO 55
Twice I have seen Esko this year. Twice they had a lead in the second half. Twice those leads melted away. The number one seed in the south half of the section led at half 28-21. The Eskomos had kept a lid on Ava Hill holding to four points at the break. The Giants were giants in the second half and Hill became a Mountain, or a volcano as she erupted for 22 more leading ME to an upset win. The two teams met in the first round of the Esko Tournament in December and it was not close as Esko prevailed 81-54. There obviously has been improvement on the ME ledger since then. ME, despite shooting only 23% in two range which probably had something to do with Esko’s 6-1 Bridget Yellin. Where ME shined came from behind the arc with a day’s best 45% as they converted ten shots. Hill had a hand in four of them. Three other players stepped up and found the mark. Megan Walker connected with a triple to tie the game at 40. At the 10:09 mark Mia Mattfield made a free throw and the Giants never trailed again. ME scored ten unanswered points in the run. When Esko scored again they were looking at a 47-40 deficit with eight minutes to go. Esko could only manage to slice one point off that lead the rest of the way. Down the stretch the Giants cashed in at the line with 19 made free throws, one more than the Esko attempts. The last dozen points for ME were generated at the free throw line.
ME enters Friday’s game with a 23-6 mark. Esko finishes 19-10.
| Category | Proctor | Pequot Lakes | Mesabi East | Esko |
| Scoring | 62 | 43 | 65 | 55 |
| Rebounds | 30 | 25 | 38 | 43 |
| 2FG% | 57.1 | 36.4 | 22.9 | 32.4 |
| 3FG% | 43.8 | 29.4 | 45.5 | 33.3 |
| FT% | 81.2 | 66.7 | 73.1 | 72.2 |
| Distributions | 23 | 15 | 18 | 23 |
| Bench | 4 | 2 | 14 | 2 |
| Team | PP100 | Scorer | Distributor | D stops |
| Proctor | 112.7 | Eve Turner 22 | Sam Pogatchnik 9 | Sam Pogatchnik 16 |
| PequotLakes | 76.8 | Olivia Lane 19 | Bre Sewall 4 | Olivia Lane 10 |
| Mesabi East | 101.6 | Ava Hill 26 | Ava Hill 5 | Two with 9 |
| Esko | 85.9 | Macy Sunnarborg | Kaitlyn Bergerson 6 | Bridget Yellin 11 |
TRENCH PLAYER
GAME 1: 5-8 junior guard Eve Turner of Proctor
GAME 2: 5-9 sophomore guard Ava Hill of Mesabi East