- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,146,673
- Reaction score
- 59
Mar. 12—MINNEAPOLIS — The Stewartville girls basketball team had everything covered Thursday in the Class 3A state semifinals against No. 4 seed Cretin-Derham Hall.
Blistering offense, stifling defense, rebounding. It was all there and it led to a start-to-finish undoing of the Raiders, Stewartville ultimately winning 65-51 at the University of Minnesota's Williams Arena.
"A lot of credit to Stewartville," CDH coach Tara Gunderson said. "They played great in a big game. They hit some big shots. It seemed like every time we'd make a move they'd counter with a big 3-pointer."
The win sends the Tigers into the state final for the second time in the last four years. In 2023, Stewartville lost to Benilde-St. Margaret's 66-60 in the championship game.
This time, the Tigers — seeded No. 1 — will be the favorite.
This program has ascended to become one of the best in the state. That after having never been to state prior to making it the first time in 2023.
The Tigers sure looked the part on Thursday as they played one of their most complete games of the season. Among the highlights was Stewartville shooting 47% on 3-pointers. That included senior forward Jayci Rath going 5-for-8 from 3-point range and finishing with a team-high 20 points as well as 10 rebounds.
"I feel like there is nothing I can't say or draw up that the girls can't do," Stewartville coach Tanner Teige said. "We have that trust. That is a big reason why our program is at where it is right now. It's the reason we are having that success."
It is a vastly different team than the one that reached the state final in 2023. Then, it was mostly seniors and juniors who have since graduated who were making the biggest impact. They were getting some help from then-freshmen and current star seniors Audrey Shindelar and Rath.
Those two have come miles from where they were as "baby-faced freshmen," as Rath referred to that version of themselves.
They have put in the time to develop greatness and to be playing in their second state final in four years.
"Everyone has worked so hard to get to this moment," Rath said. "Now, it feels so good to be here."
For Rath, it felt so good to shoot the basketball on Thursday. That sweet left-handed shot by the 6-foot-1 senior went a long way in continuing to keep Cretin-Derham Hall at bay nearly all game.
Rath said that her team has a way of finding the hot shooter and feeding them. On Wednesday in the quarterfinals the receiver of those passes tended to be Shindelar. On Thursday, the ball kept finding Rath.
"My shot felt rusty at first," Rath said with a smile. "But then it started to feel pretty good."
Just as effective for Stewartville was its defensive activity. The Raiders rarely were able to hunt down a shot that wasn't challenged. CDH shot just 35% from the field, while Stewartville was at 47%.
The Tigers, who have a pack of players 5-foot-11 or taller among their top seven, gave CDH fits with that length. The Raiders had some success with scoring inside. But outside shots that it had grown used to knocking down this season were all challenged by Stewartville's tall defenders.
"I thought our defense was phenomenal," Teige said.
CDH coach Gunderson agreed.
"Their length definitely affected us," Gunderson said. "We talked about that (going into the game) as a concern. As far as going against a team with that kind of length and getting shots, that is tough. I liked the way our post players scored. But we are used to scoring more. We are used to having more balance."
Stewartville, by contrast, did have that balance. Top scorers Rath (20 points), Audrey Shindelar (16), Danika Shindelar 12 and Leah Hebl (9) all got a mix of their points inside and outside.
Saturday's championship game will be at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena, as Stewartville faces No. 2 seed Benilde-St. Margaret's.
It marks the second time this season the teams will have met. Stewartville beat BSM 85-76 on Jan. 17.
This time, they'll try to do it for a championship.
BOX SCORE: Stewartville 65, Cretin-Derham Hall 51
Continue reading...
Blistering offense, stifling defense, rebounding. It was all there and it led to a start-to-finish undoing of the Raiders, Stewartville ultimately winning 65-51 at the University of Minnesota's Williams Arena.
"A lot of credit to Stewartville," CDH coach Tara Gunderson said. "They played great in a big game. They hit some big shots. It seemed like every time we'd make a move they'd counter with a big 3-pointer."
The win sends the Tigers into the state final for the second time in the last four years. In 2023, Stewartville lost to Benilde-St. Margaret's 66-60 in the championship game.
This time, the Tigers — seeded No. 1 — will be the favorite.
This program has ascended to become one of the best in the state. That after having never been to state prior to making it the first time in 2023.
The Tigers sure looked the part on Thursday as they played one of their most complete games of the season. Among the highlights was Stewartville shooting 47% on 3-pointers. That included senior forward Jayci Rath going 5-for-8 from 3-point range and finishing with a team-high 20 points as well as 10 rebounds.
"I feel like there is nothing I can't say or draw up that the girls can't do," Stewartville coach Tanner Teige said. "We have that trust. That is a big reason why our program is at where it is right now. It's the reason we are having that success."
It is a vastly different team than the one that reached the state final in 2023. Then, it was mostly seniors and juniors who have since graduated who were making the biggest impact. They were getting some help from then-freshmen and current star seniors Audrey Shindelar and Rath.
Those two have come miles from where they were as "baby-faced freshmen," as Rath referred to that version of themselves.
They have put in the time to develop greatness and to be playing in their second state final in four years.
"Everyone has worked so hard to get to this moment," Rath said. "Now, it feels so good to be here."
For Rath, it felt so good to shoot the basketball on Thursday. That sweet left-handed shot by the 6-foot-1 senior went a long way in continuing to keep Cretin-Derham Hall at bay nearly all game.
Rath said that her team has a way of finding the hot shooter and feeding them. On Wednesday in the quarterfinals the receiver of those passes tended to be Shindelar. On Thursday, the ball kept finding Rath.
"My shot felt rusty at first," Rath said with a smile. "But then it started to feel pretty good."
Just as effective for Stewartville was its defensive activity. The Raiders rarely were able to hunt down a shot that wasn't challenged. CDH shot just 35% from the field, while Stewartville was at 47%.
The Tigers, who have a pack of players 5-foot-11 or taller among their top seven, gave CDH fits with that length. The Raiders had some success with scoring inside. But outside shots that it had grown used to knocking down this season were all challenged by Stewartville's tall defenders.
"I thought our defense was phenomenal," Teige said.
CDH coach Gunderson agreed.
"Their length definitely affected us," Gunderson said. "We talked about that (going into the game) as a concern. As far as going against a team with that kind of length and getting shots, that is tough. I liked the way our post players scored. But we are used to scoring more. We are used to having more balance."
Stewartville, by contrast, did have that balance. Top scorers Rath (20 points), Audrey Shindelar (16), Danika Shindelar 12 and Leah Hebl (9) all got a mix of their points inside and outside.
Saturday's championship game will be at 2 p.m. at Williams Arena, as Stewartville faces No. 2 seed Benilde-St. Margaret's.
It marks the second time this season the teams will have met. Stewartville beat BSM 85-76 on Jan. 17.
This time, they'll try to do it for a championship.
BOX SCORE: Stewartville 65, Cretin-Derham Hall 51
Continue reading...
