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Warriors in action: Ivan Augedahl (10) and Josh Gran (11) apply some defensive pressure on this R-P player. Photo by Zach Thomas
Even though they lost two of three games last week to end the regular season, Warrior boys basketball coach Josh Diersen feels his team is ready for tournament play. The Warriors avenged a Jan. 18 loss to Rushford-Peterson by beating the Trojans 75-55 Feb. 23. Cal then went on the road Feb. 25 and lost to state-ranked Plainview-Elgin-Millville 67-49. The Warriors hosted Class AAA Austin Feb. 27 and dropped an overtime thriller 64-54.
Isaac Fruechte tries to track this loose ball down. Photo by Zach Thomas
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Even though they lost two of three games last week to end the regular season, Warrior boys basketball coach Josh Diersen feels his team is ready for tournament play. The Warriors avenged a Jan. 18 loss to Rushford-Peterson by beating the Trojans 75-55 Feb. 23. Cal then went on the road Feb. 25 and lost to state-ranked Plainview-Elgin-Millville 67-49. The Warriors hosted Class AAA Austin Feb. 27 and dropped an overtime thriller 64-54.
Warriors 75, R-P 55
The Warriors weren’t at full strength the first time the two teams met in January and the Trojans prevailed 64-59. Last Tuesday, with a full compliment of players, Caledonia beat R-P by 20 points.
“We played a much better game this time,” coach Josh Diersen noted. “We played good defense, shot well and really put it together in this game.”
Isaac Fruechte had a monster game for the Warriors. The senior forward made 9 of 11 from the field to score 24 points, pulled down nine rebounds, had four assists and three steals.
Josh Gran hit 3 of 6 treys and scored 17 points.
Ethan Lapham was the third Warrior to hit double figures. He scored a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. He also was a defensive presence with five blocked shots.
Cody Haugstad added seven points, Mitch Rieser had four, Justin Felten had three and Lucas Lampert had two points and four assists. Mike Ideker, Ivan Augedahl and Seth Kasten each had two points for the Warriors.
Caledonia shot 51 percent from the field, 31 percent from three point land and made 12 of 20 (60 percent) from the free throw line.
PEM 67, Warriors 49
The Warriors had six turnovers on their first eight possessions and were down 16-2 before they knew what hit them. Although they played valiantly from that point on, they had to play “catch-up” ball against one of the top Class AA teams in the state. They lost by 18 points on the road to PEM.
“We really had to dig ourselves out of a hole. And once we got things straightened out, we played PEM even. But you can’t spot a team like Plainview that many points and expect to win,” Diersen said.
Besides turnover blues, the Warriors couldn’t find the hoop either, as they made just four of their 18 attempts from the field in the first half.
The halftime score was 37-16. Caledonia pulled within 12 points three different times in the second half, but a Bulldog run pushed the deficit back to 20 points each time.
Caledonia shot 39 percent from the field in the game and 33 percent from three point land. They nailed 10 of 14 free throws (71 percent).
“I was pleased with the way we played in the second half. The kids didn’t give up. They played PEM even in the second half. But they expended too much energy trying to get back into the game. They learned that they can play with Plainview. But we’ve got to play them tough the entire game.”
Gran led the Warriors in scoring with 16 points. He made 4 of 6 treys. He also had five rebounds.
Reiser had eight points, Fruechte had six points, nine rebounds and three assists, Lapham, who got in early foul trouble, had six points. Ideker had three points and Haugstad, Lampert, Felten, Cole O’Heron and Seth Kasten each had two points.
Austin 64, Warriors 54
“We played a good school well, but just didn’t make our free throws down the stretch. That was the difference in the game,” Diersen said.
The Warriors hosted the Packers Saturday night for the regular season finale.
Austin held a 24-21 lead at the half. But the Warriors came back and took the lead late in the game.
With the ball and a three point lead, the Warriors forced Austin to foul. Two Caledonia shots rimmed out and Austin got the rebound. With nine seconds left in the game, Austin guard, 6’ 5” Connor Gunderson forced overtime when he nailed a three pointer.
Fruechte, who had been guarding the talented Gunderson all night fouled out at the beginning of the overtime period and the tall guard scored eight of the Packers’ 15 points in OT to win by 10.
“Isaac played a great game for us,” Diersen said. “Their coaching staff said that was the best defense anyone has played on Gunderson this year. Gunderson made a great shot at the end of regular. He was well-defended, had a hand in his face and still made the shot.”
Lapham led the Warriors with 19 points and six rebounds. Lampert had 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Fruechte had six points and four rebounds.
Gran had five points and three assists, Bobby Augedahl had five points and four assists, Ivan Augedahl had three points and Ideker and Reiser each had two points.
Tournament action
The #3 seeded Warriors begin Section 1AA East Sub-section play Thursday night when they host #6 Lewiston-Altura for a 7 p.m. tip-off. The winner of that game moves on to face the winner of #2 La Crescent versus #7 Winona Cotter March 9 at the Mayo Civic Arena at 8 p.m.
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