Sixth-grade girls’ comeback falls short in Lake Crystal tourney championship

Had another minute or two been available to the sixth-grade basketball girls on Saturday, they might have entirely erased an 11-point deficit, beaten United South Central and won the Lake Crystal tournament.

But as it was, the clock expired on their rally, and the Clippers fell to the Rebels 31-29 for second place among the sixth competing teams.

In pool play, the Clippers easily downed host LCWM and Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart.

With her team trailing USC 25-14 early in the second half, Arbor Linder drove for a pair of buckets, but the Rebels, bagging two outside shots, canceled them. Continuing to roll though, Linder stole, was bumped on her way to the basket and made a pair of free baskets to start the comeback.

With 4:30 remaining, Breanna Bosse took a Ruby Page pass inside for a bucket. After the Rebels put in a free throw, Lexi Wobbrock went to work, first taking a Bosse pass up and in from the paint and then running in a Linder toss to pull the Clippers within four with 1:45 remaining.

Continuing to trim the Clipper shortfall, Jayda Roemhildt pulled down an offensive rebound, was fouled on her way back up and put in the first of two foul shots. With 23 seconds left, the Rebels made a free shot. Nineteen seconds later, Bosse launched a three-point attempt, was fouled and made two of three freebies.

The Clippers desperately tried to regain possession, but time ran out on the comeback.

The Rebels took the game’s opening jump ball in for a basket and never trailed from there. Ashtyn Botker scored from outside and then made a pair of free throws early in the first half, but USC, taking advantage of their height for second-chance baskets, led 12-4.

Roemhildt hauled down an offensive rebound and put it back up for the next Clipper basket. Later, Ruby Page cashed in on Linder assists for a pair of baskets from baseline before the Rebels scored from inside to lead 18-10 at the intermission.

Roemhildt put an inbounds pass in for a basket, and Addy Hoffmann made two free throws early in the second half.

Linder totaled six points in the effort. Roemhildt had five points. Bosse, Wobbrock, Page and Botker each added four points. Hoffmann chipped in a pair of free throws.

The Clippers made nine foul shots and missed eight. The Rebels were 7-9 in free throw shooting.

Cleveland 27, LCWM 6

Roemhildt made a pair of free baskets to get the party started. From there, Linder ran in a pair of layups and scored from outside. With 3:19 of the 18 minutes of running time remaining before the half, the Knights got on the board with a basket, but Linder knocked down a three, Botker sprinted in a layup, and Kenzie Sandhurst hauled in an offensive rebound and tossed it back up for a basket for a 15-2 Clipper lead at the break.

Linder drained a basket from the baseline to start the second half. From there, Botker missed a free throw but corralled the rebound, put it back up for a basket and sank the and-one as well. Linder made a free throw, and Botker scored twice from under the rim to put the finishing touches on the triumph.

With a dozen points, Linder paced the Clippers. Botker was right behind her with 11 points. Roemhildt and Sandhurst each contributed two points. The Clippers were successful in four of seven free throws.

Cleveland 28, BLHS 11

Immediately after the LCWM game, the Clippers took on Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart.

Linder parked an outside shot for the game’s first basket. Bosse bagged a freebie, Hoffmann and Botker put in baskets from the baseline and Hoffmann ran in a layup for a 9-1 Clipper lead.

The Mustangs posted the next two baskets before Botker dumped in a pair of free shots, Linder stole and drove from coast to coast for a layup and Roemhildt dropped in the second of two foul shots for a 14-6 Clipper advantage at the pause.

After Linder put in a free shot, the Mustangs made their only basket from the floor in the second half. From there, Wobbrock dumped in a turnaround jumper from the baseline, Linder launched an inbounds pass in for a bucket and followed up with an underhand layup.

As the game wound down, Botker added a pair of free throws and Roemhildt made one free throw. Sandhurst scored from the baseline and sank the ensuing foul shot. Wobbrock rebounded and scored to bag and tag the triumph.

Linder totaled nine points. Botker posted five points. Wobbrock and Hoffmann each had four points. Roemhildt and Sandhurst each added three points. Bosse made a free throw.

The Clippers bagged eight of 15 free throw attempts.

The tournament closed out a successful season, where they only lost one other game: to Fairmont in a tournament, but they avenged that loss in the same tournament.

Also competing in Lake Crystal on Saturday were St. Clair and Maple River. The Clippers had never faced USC before this tournament. The Rebels beat Maple River 29-15 and St. Clair 47-11 to reach the championship. The pool play games were held at the high school while the championship contest was at the elementary school.

The sixth-grade girls are coached by Dustin Hoffmann, Nate Page and John Wobbrock.

Above: Drive during the championship game against USC

Shot Winding up for a shot from the baseline during the LCWM game