HERMANTOWN 53, CLOQUET 52 OT

It was one white knuckler for another white knuckler Monday. While most of the state slept under a blanket of snow, I made my way to the Bold North to checkout action in the Lake Superior Conference. It seems I always make my way to Hermantown when there is a significant snow event in the Twin Cities (White Knuckler #1). Also tied into the sequence is a Stillwater game with Princeton. Two years ago our game was postponed due to a snow event, so I broke free from the drifts to head to Hawk country & charted Hibbing. Last year, on a bone chilling Saturday, after a Friday snow event in December I sprinted after the Princeton game at home in the afternoon to see Grand Rapids. Today we are two days removed from a Saturday game at Princeton. Again snow foiled practice plans in Stillwater, so I made an end run in the early afternoon to get here before I was stuck behind traffic. Tonight the visitor was Cloquet. This had the dual benefit of checking off two teams from the top 100—-Hermantown at #47, Cloquet at #82. I didn’t realize it would be another white knuckler as the game went an extra four minutes.

This was also a key game for 7AAA, which is turning into a log jam for the top spot. Hermantown survived a spirited comeback from Cloquet to squeak by 53-52 in overtime. The Hawks saw a ten point half time lead (30-20) vanish with a dreadful start to the second half. The visitors scored the first 11 points of the second half (7 minutes running on empty for the Hawks). 6-2 senior center Ellie Gamradt broke the spell with an &1 opportunity. That was the second lead change of six down in the second half. Hermantown once again had a push to lead 45-38 with 5:30 remaining in regulation after a three from junior guard Maddy Foster. The games leading scorer, Allie Wojtysiak, who had 24 points for the night, was instrumental in the second comeback with two free throws and then a 3 to tie it at 45. She added another pair of free throws with 4:14 left (7 points in 1:15) to give the Lumberjacks their last lead in regulation 47-45. 6-1 Hermantown senior Taylor Vold, who is headed to Bemidji State, knocked down a three to propel the Hawks back in front 48-47 with 2:42 left. Besides putting Hermantown back in front it was Vold’s 1000 point moment. With 19.6 seconds left, Cloquet’s junior guard Vanna Kelley delivered the front end of a free throw to tie it at 48. Neither team did any damage their last possessions.

The first two minutes of overtime was dry. Cloquet’s 6-3 senior center Carmen Foss hit two free throws to put the guests up 50-48. The next trip down, Gamradt answered with one free throw. Gamradt, after gathering the missed Lumberjack shot, raced down court and scored to put Hermantown back in front 51-50. Both teams had a few turnovers to take the clock down to 29 seconds. With 16 seconds Wojtysiak scored from the elbow. Hermantown called time with 10.9 seconds left and the ball on the right sideline in the front court. Sierra Bolen found Gamradt in the lane for the game winner with 5.1 seconds left. Cloquet got the time out with four seconds left. Kendra Kelley received the inbounds pass and raced down court and got a shot off in the lane that bounced out.

Looking at interesting numbers after the game—-Hermantown made six transition baskets on the night; Cloquet finished empty. Wojtysiak only missed three shots all night, 4/4 free throws; 7/9 2s; and 2/3 3s.

Hermantown is now 17-2 overall, 6-0 in the conference and 5-1 in 7AAA. They have two wins teams that have been ranked in the top 10: Chisago Lakes & Grand Rapids. Cloquet drops to 9-6 overall, 1-3 in the Lake Superior Conference and 3-3 in the section.

By the way the roads from Hermantown to basically Rush City were fine. The big slow down came on 35W (Centennial neighborhood) when there was a triple team of plows across the total highway keeping everyone in the 22 mph zone. But the absolute worst driving was in my neighborhood where I got stuck four times….all on corners. I got to shovel, not only my driveway, but a portion of the street as well. I was assisted in the midnight shoveling by my wife.

 

Team	PP100	scorer	Distributor	D stops
Hermantown	72.6	Taylor Vold 17	Sierra Bolen 7	Ellie Gamradt 10
Cloquet	71.2	Allie Wojtysiak 24	Kendra Kelley 10	Carmen Foss 13

TRENCH PLAYER: Ellie Gamradt….scored all five Hawk points in overtime including the game winner at 5.1 seconds.