By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor

The Caledonia boys basketball team opened up the 2007-08 season with a hard-fought 68-61 win over a tough Southland team Friday night in Adams.

While the young Warriors held the upper hand most of the game, leading 34-31 at the halftime intermission and up by seven with about 12 minutes left in the game, foul trouble and a Rebel run midway through the second half put CHS to the test.

Senior guards Craig Loeffler and Kody Moore were in foul trouble much of the night. Loeffler picked up his fourth foul at the 10 minute mark, and Moore did shortly thereafter. The Caledonia seven-point lead quickly disappeared, as the Rebs went on a 16-0 run to take a nine-point lead with five minutes left.

Loeffler and Moore were brought back into the game, which helped stop the Southland run. But the two seniors were soon whistled for their fifth fouls and sent to the bench.

Two of coach Josh Diersen's sophomores, Bobby Augedahl and Cody Haugstad popped in a couple of treys, and Alex Klug pulled down a rebound and put it back up for the go-ahead basket. CHS kept up the pressure and won the game at the free throw line, hitting 12 of 20 charity shots for 60 percent, while the Rebs hit just six of 18.

"Cody Haugstad and Bobby Augedahl were huge down the stretch," Diersen noted. "Cody scored all seven of his points in the last three minutes. And Ryan (junior forward Ryan Goetzinger) had a great game for us, scoring a game-high 23 points in his first varsity start.

"I was very pleased with the way the kids moved the ball around, looking for the best possible shot," Diersen continued. "The young kids really stepped up in the game. And even after the big Southland run towards the end of the game, the kids held it together and fought back for the win. We gave up too many lay-ups and will be working on that. All in all, the kids played a good first game. Southland has a good team and should be right in the thick of things in the conference race."

Goetzinger led the Warriors attack with 23 points. Augedahl chipped in 13, Loeffler and Moore each had 10, Haugstad had seven, Klug and Kyle Runningen each had two, and Kevin Voight had one point. No other stats were available.

Diersen noted the junior varsity, nine graders, and eighth graders all came out victorious over the Rebels last week, while the seventh graders suffered a loss.

The boys hosted St. Charles, after this issue of The Argus was printed and travel to Spring Valley Friday night to take on an always tough Kingsland team.

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