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Fairmont steals last second win from Jays
By DALE KUGATH
Scoop Sports Editor
WASECA - The inexperienced Waseca girls' basketball team learned a painful lesson in what it takes to win.
Fairmont outscored the Jays 11-0 over the final 1:13 to escape with a 66-62 South Central Conference win in Waseca Jan. 13.
It was the first conference game of the season for the Jays, who lost their fifth game in a row. Waseca, which is winless in three home games, fell to 1-7 overall.
Fairmont remained in a first-place tie in the SCC with its third league win without a loss. The Cardinals won their fourth straight game, improved to 5-3 on the road and climbed to 8-4 this season.
It was a heartbreaking loss for coach Joel Hayford's Bluejays, who led the majority of the game.
Waseca jumped to a 16-0 lead to start the game. Lexie Ulfers had nine points and Jordyn Hedberg nailed a three-pointer in the stretch.
The Cards, who had plenty of trouble against Waseca's 2-3 zone, finally started to get things going, sparked by senior sharp shooter Kirsten True. She had 14 first-half points to help Fairmont pull within 33 to 23 at the break.
Hedberg nailed three treys on the way to 13 first-half points, and Ulfers collected 11.
Waseca continued to hold off the visitors in the second half. Three times the Cards rallied within a basket, but the Jays would spurt back on top.
It appeared the losing streak was over as Waseca held a 62-55 advantage with 1:13 remaining. But, True hit a baseline jumper and a three to pull Fairmont within two points and that rattled the Jays. A number of turnovers and some clutch free throw shooting by the Cardinals kept them perfect in the conference.
Fairmont made 17 baskets, five three-pointers, all by True, and 17 of 26 free throws.
The Bluejays dropped 16 buckets, six triples and 12 of 24 gift tosses.
True was brilliant, pumping in 33 points. She hit five triples and four-of-four free throws.
Freshman Kayla Lardy flipped in 15 points and Shannon Christianson muscled her way to 12 points underneath. True, Lardy and Christianson scored 41 of Fairmont's 43 second-half points.
Ulfers poured in 26 points for Waseca. Hedberg fired in 16 points, hitting four three-pointers.
Abby Collins and Katie Miller flipped in six points apiece. Miller dished out five assists to Ulfers.
The Cardinals won the rebounding battle 39 to 28, including 13 to 11 on the offensive boards.
Ulfers collected a triple-double for the Jays, hauling down 16 rebounds and blocking 10 shots. No one else had more than three rebounds for Waseca.
The Bluejays turned the ball over 29 times, two more than Fairmont.
The Jays travel to New Ulm for a makeup game Jan. 17, battle NRHEG at home the following evening and journey to St. James Jan. 21.
Fairmont 66, Waseca 62
Fairmont 23 43 66
Waseca 33 29 62
Fairmont (66): True 33, Lardy 15, Christianson 12, Eversman 4, Gerdts 2, Cone 0, Moeller 0, Fuhrman 0, Kloeckner 0, Anders 0. FG: 17 2-pters., 5 3-pters.; FT: 17-26 (65%), PF: 21 (Eversman out), TP-66.
Waseca (62): Ulfers 26, J. Hedberg 16, Miller 6, Collins 6, T. Krueger 3, B. Krueger 3, Hayford 2, Nelson 0, Wobschall 0, Simmons 0. FG: 16 2-pters., 6 3-pters.; FT: 12-24 (50%), PF: 21 (Miller out), TP-62.
NEXT: Jan. 17-Waseca at New Ulm, 7:30 p.m.
Freshman shooter helps Jordan down Jays
By DALE KUGATH
Scoop Sports Editor
WASECA - Some hot shooting by a freshman helped send the Waseca girls' basketball team to its fourth consecutive defeat Jan. 11.
The Jordan Jaguars pulled away in the second half to post a 66-46 non-conference triumph over coach Joel Hayford's Waseca Lady Jays at Waseca.
Jordan, which has won three of its last four games, climbed to 7-4 this season. The Jaguars have won three of seven road contests.
Waseca, which lost its fourth consecutive contest, fell to 1-6 overall. The Lady Jays are 0-2 on their home court.
The Bluejays stayed within range in the first half, and might have led had it not been for the spectacular scoring of freshman Madison Dean. She poured in 18 first-half points, including a trio of three-pointers, to help Jordan take a 31-23 advantage at the break.
Sophomore Jordyn Hedberg tried to keep the Jays close, burying three triples for nine points in the opening half. Center Lexie Ulfers, who often had three players surrounding her, was held to one bucket and three free throws the first half.
However, the Jays ran out of steam in the second half as just four players scored. Ulfers got loose often enough to score 10 points, Katie Miller delivered eight and Hedberg nailed her fourth trey of the night.
Waseca cut the Jaguar lead to 34-29 and 36-32 early in the final half but a 14-2 run by Jordan cemented the win.
But Dean pumped in another 10 points, Kelsey Chambers contributed nine and the Jaguars hit four shots behind the arc.
Dean paced the winners with 28 points, including four shots behind the arc. Chambers tossed in 14 for Jordan and Sam Hentges finished with seven.
Ulfers topped the Bluejays with 15 points, dropping five of six free throws. Hedberg scored 12 points, all coming behind the arc, and Miller added eight, all in the second half.
Hedberg handed out four assists for Waseca, one more than Miller.
Jordan won the rebounding battle by a 33 to 25 margin, including 12 to 11 on the offensive boards.
Ulfers snared 11 rebounds and had six blocked shots for the Jays, Miller grabbed five boards and Kari Simmons came off the bench to collect four caroms.
Turnovers continued to bother the Bluejays who finished with twice as many as Jordan, 28 to 14.
Waseca will attempt to get its first South Central Conference game of the year in when Fairmont comes to town Jan. 13.
The Jays travel to New Ulm Jan. 17 and will battle area rival New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva in Waseca the following night.
Jordan 66, Waseca 46
Jordan (66): Dean 28, Chambers 14, Hentges 7, Hotchkiss 6, Pieper 4, Case 3, Erickson 2, Klegstad 2, Lambrecht 0, Anderson 0. FG-19 2-pters., 7 3-pters. FT-7-14 (50%), PF-15, TP-66.
Waseca (46): Ulfers 15, Hedberg 12, Miller 8, Collins 4, Simmons 3, Hayford 2, B. Krueger 2, T. Krueger 0, Nelson 0, Wobschall 0, Nagy 0. FG: 12 2-pters., 4 3-pters. FT-10-15 (67%), PF-12, TP-46.
NEXT: Jan. 13-Fairmont at Waseca, 7:30 p.m.
Turnover bug haunts Bluejays at Red Wing
By DALE KUGATH
Scoop Sports Editor
RED WING - Waseca girls' basketball coach, Joel Hayford, was concerned about the youth and inexperience of his team before the season started.
Those concerns turned into reality as the Lady Jays opened their season at the Red Wing Tournament Nov. 26-27, losing both games in the four-team tourney.
Red Wing, the state's fourth-ranked team in the preseason poll, humbled Waseca 85-35 in the opening round.
The Bluejays also had trouble producing much offense in game two, falling to River Falls (Wis.) 49-38.
Red Wing captured its own tournament by bouncing Goodhue in the championship game.
Red Wing
The Wingers slapped a deadly full court press on Waseca and decided the outcome of the game early.
The Bluejays turned the ball over 40 times in the first half and had just 11 shots at the basket in falling behind 55 to 11.
The Jays played better in the second half, getting outscored 30 to 24.
Waseca chalked up 53 turnovers in the contest, compared to 19 for the Wingers.
The Wingers held a 30 to 22 rebounding advantage, including 18 to 2 on the offensive boards.
Waseca ended up with 12 baskets, one three-pointer and 8-20 free throws.
Lexie Ulfers paced the Bluejays with 18 points in the game. She also had eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Tessa Krueger was next for the Jays with five points.
Red Wing poured in 33 baskets, added four triples and cashed 7-16 free throws. Four Wingers hit double digits: Andrea LaFond with 14 points, Danielle Brooks scored 13, Macy Kelly flipped in 12 and Tesha Buck added 11.
River Falls
The River Falls (Wis.) Wildcats captured Saturday's third-place game with a 49-38 victory over the Jays.
River Falls led 30 to 21 at the intermission, sparked by eight points from Masy Engel. Ulfers paced Waseca with nine points in the half, with Caitlyn Hayford and Kari Simmons added four points apiece.
Both teams stepped up their defense in the second half with River Falls holding a slim 19 to 17 advantage. Both teams hit seven baskets in the final half.
The Bluejays made 16 two-pointers, one trey and three of seven free throws. Ulfers was again the only offensive threat for the Jays, pumping in 16 points. Hayford and Simmons chipped in with six points apiece.
River Falls also made 16 two-point baskets, nailed a pair of threes and dropped 11 of 17 free throws. Emily Blasius topped the Wildcats with 13 points and Engel ended up with 10.
Waseca opens South Central Conference play on the road against defending conference co-champ Fairmont Dec. 3.
St. James comes to town for an SCC clash Dec. 10.
Red Wing 85, Waseca 35
Waseca 11 24 35
RW 55 30 85
Waseca (35): Ulfers 18, T. Krueger 5, Simmons 3, J. Hedberg 3, Hayford 2, Nelson 2, Wobschall 2, Miller 0, Collins 0, B. Krueger 0, R. Hedberg 0, Nagy 0, Schaper 0, Filzen 0, Sletten 0. FG: 12 2-pters., 1 3-pter., FT: 8-20, PF: 12, TP-35.
Red Wing (85): LaFond 14, D. Brooks 13, Kelly 12, Buck 11, Toivonen 9, A. Brooks 8, Guse 6, Ulveling 5, Muelken 5, Schaffer 2, Norvel 0, Kuhl 0, Faas 0, L. Brooks 0. FG: 33 2-pters., 4 3-pters., FT: 7-16, PF: 19, TP-85.
River Falls 49, Waseca 38
Waseca 21 17 38
RF 30 19 49
Waseca (38): Ulfers 16, Hayford 6, Simmons 6, J. Hedberg 3, Nelson 3, Miller 2, Collins 2, T. Krueger 0, B. Krueger 0, R. Hedberg 0. FG: 16 2-pters., 1 3-pter., FT: 3-7, PF: 19, TP-38.
River Falls (49): Blasius 13, Engel 10, Vitale 8, Reardon 6, Matzek 5, O'Leary 4, Ista 2, Purfeerst 1. FG: 16 2-pters., 2 3-pters., FT: 11-17, PF: 14 (Vitale out), TP-49.
NEXT: Dec. 3-Waseca at Fairmont, 7:30 p.m.
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