By Matt Krumrie
MaxPreps.com
STARTING FIVE
1. Marshall Wins Southwest Conference Title – Again: Marshall won its fourth-consecutive Southwest Conference title Thursday night with a 62-56 win over Windom Area. Taylor Hedman had a career-high 28 points to help Marshall finish conference action 10-2 (15-9 overall). Tyler Grimmestad added 13 points in the win for Marshall, who have a tough non-conference game against Moorhead Friday night.
2. Maranatha Academy Loses: The undefeated season for top-ranked (1A) Maranatha Academy came to an end last week with a 45-42 loss to Southwest Christian Academy. SCA slowed the tempo to keep Maranatha, which had been averaging 65.8 points per game, off its game. Maranatha dropped to 22-1 with the non-conference loss, while SCA improved to 14-8 with the win. Maranatha bounced back from the loss with a 73-21 win over Blake Tuesday. Dave Hanson leads the Mustangs in scoring with 24 points per game.
3. Milestone for Mahtomedi’s Kelly: Mahtomedi’s Anthony Kelley scored 17 points in a 73-66 loss to Mahtomedi Tuesday. In that game Kelley, who leads the Classic Suburban Conference in scoring at 18.8 points per game, went over the 1,000 point mark for his career. In doing so, he became the first boys basketball player in Zephyrs history to score 1,000 points in his career.
4. Stillwater’s Armstrong All-Time Leading Scorer: Stillwater sensation Joel Armstrong, who will play at Division II power Winona State next year, became the Ponies’ all-time leading scorer Tuesday. He scored 18 points in a 57-54 win over Woodbury and now has 1,115 points for his career, breaking the previous record of 1,103 points set by Kevin Gullickson, who now plays for Wisconsin. The win also helped Stillwater (12-2 Suburban East, 20-4 overall) get back into a first-place tie with Cretin-Derham Hall.
5. Minnesotans Mentioned: St. Thomas Academy had a pair of players among the 1,500 standouts nominated to play in the McDonald’s High School All-American game. Alex Schneider and Fritz Waldvogel were nominated, but not selected to play in the March 26 game in Milwaukee that features the nation’s top high school basketball players. Schneider played a key role in the Cadets’ 72-69 upset of No. 8 Henry Sibley Tuesday. Schneider had 24 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, while Waldvogel added 14 points.
THREE TO WATCH:
1. Steve Lyke, Floodwood High: Lyke, a 6-5 senior, averages 16.9 points and 12.2 rebounds per game for the 14-7 Polar Bears.
2. Tom Sawatzke, Monticello: Sawatzke is averaging 18.8 points per game for Monticello, who was in the middle of the pack in the Mississippi 8 conference at 8-5 and 11-10 overall. He scored 19 points in a 70-43 win over Becker Tuesday, and 22 points in a 64-57 win over Annandale Feb. 22. Monticello has been streaky this year. In their past ten games they have won five in a row, lost three straight, and now won two in a row.
3. Nathan Nietfield, Paynesville: The junior forward is averaging 18.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He had 25 points in a 67-54 loss to Foley Feb. 22 and has scored over 20 points six times this season.
TWO HOT TOO HANDLE:
1. Eric Sather, McGregor: McGregor scored 23 points, had nine rebounds and four assists in a 63-48 win over Northland Tuesday. In his two games prior to that, McGregor went for 21 points and 11 rebounds in a 71-66 loss to Isle, and 12 points and eight rebounds in a 69-29 win over Kelley. In the loss to Isle Sather made all 11 free throw attempts. He is averaging 17.9 points per game and 9.2 rebounds.
2. Kevin Noreen, Minnesota Transitions: Noreen, a 6-8 sophomore, poured in 41 points in a 83-80 win over St. Paul Arlington Thursday. Noreen leads the state in scoring with an average of 30.2 points per game. He also averages 13.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.5 steals per game. In three games prior to Thursday Noreen scored 48, 27 and 29 points for the 19-4 Wolves.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
300 – Career wins for St. Paul Highland Park coach Charles Portis. Portis earned the accomplishment last week when his Scots defeated St. Paul Harding 73-54.
95.3 – Points per game averaged by Minnesota Transitions.
94 – Points scored by Esko in a 94-47 win over Carlton Feb. 26.
19.9 – Points per game for Minnesota Transitions’ Virgil Baker.
15.4 – Points per game for Minnesota Transitions’ Kavarian Williams
13.8 – Rebounds per game by Minnesota Transitions’ Kyle Noreen
10.7 - Rebounds per game by Roseville’s Mike Muscala.
5 – St. Paul City Conference coaches who have now won 300 games or more. In addition to Portis the others are: Dan Brink (421), who coached at Central, Monroe and Como Park; Len Horyza (315), Cretin-Derham Hall; Ron Causton (311), Murray, Highland Park; and Gerry Keenan (302) Mechanic Arts.
