Heralding a bright future for Cleveland girls basketball, the seventh-grade girls ended their 15-3 season on a high note on Thursday, nipping visiting Martin County West 28-27.
Alden-Conger, big down low, was the only team to come back and beat the Clippers after narrowly falling to them in Alden.
Otherwise, the Clippers lost their season opener in Lake Crystal when they were combined with the sixth graders but came back to decisively beat the Knights twice, once during the conference tournament in Cleveland and then at home the Tuesday after the tournament.
The Clippers also fell to Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman in their first game of the conference tourney but had beaten the Jaguars in Truman earlier in the season and then topped them again at home three days after the tournament.
With the Clippers off target from the free-throw line, Martin Count West chipped away at an 11-point halftime deficit, but the Clippers held on for the triumph.
With a dozen points, Emma Kortuem marched the Clippers. Harper Rutz, Allie Anderson, Brooke Bosse and Sierra Lotspeich each had four points.
The Monday before, at Mankato Loyola, the eighth-grade Clippers won 20-14 while the sixth-grade girls fell 22-7 in their season finale.
Kortuem scored seven points in the win. Anderson and Bosse each had four points. Lotspeich had three points, and Rutz chipped in a basket.
Natalie Flowers put in a basket and a free throw in the first half of the sixth-grade game on Loyola Hill. Emily Baker also had a basket in the first half. Gretchen Heldberg was the only Clipper to make a basket after the break.
On Tuesday, January 30, the sixth-grade Clippers beat host Madelia 25-21. Each four baskets and a free throw, Heldberg and Flowers paced the Clippers. Harley Samuelson had two baskets for four total points. Hadley Thompson put in three free throws for three total points.
Before Alden-Conger avenged their loss, the eighth-grade Clippers downed visiting GHEC-Truman 36-25. Kortuem put in three baskets each half for 12 total points. Bosse was right behind with 10 points. Clara Hilfer had four points. Charlotte Meyer, Rutz and Lotspeich each contributed a basket.
On January 19, the Clippers beat host St. Clair 37-20. Bosse made five baskets for 10-total points in that game. Kortuem put in three baskets and three free throws for nine points. Lotspeich and Mattea Grandaw each had four points. Rutz put in four freebies for four total points. Hilfer, Meyer and Anderson each put in a bucket.
Above: Allie Anderson draws a bead on the rim.
Mattea Grandaw glides down court in the MCW game.
Emma Kortuem sings a pass inside.
Ameila Baker ducks away from a taller Maverick defender.
Sierra Lotspeich takes the ball inside the arc.
Harper Rutz tosses the ball inside.
Charlotte Meyer reaches up for a block.
Brook Bosse and Allie Anderson tie up an MCW ball carrier.
All photos courtesy of Patty Sullivan