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Freshman Taylor Winjum puts a shot up in heavy traffic during Caledonia’s win over Winona Cotter.
Photo by Becky Fruechte
After three straight appearances at “The Big Dance,” including a Class AA State Championship last March, the Caledonia girls basketball team’s season ended a little earlier than local fans have become accustomed to.
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
After three straight appearances at “The Big Dance,” including a Class AA State Championship last March, the Caledonia girls basketball team’s season ended a little earlier than local fans have become accustomed to.
The Warriors lost to a very talented Chatfield team 42-40 in the Section 1AA East Sub-section title game Saturday night in Rochester. The two-point loss ended the Warriors’ season with a 24-5 mark. The win propelled the seventh-ranked Gophers (25-3) into the Section 1AA championship game against Rochester Lourdes.
The Warriors were without the services of junior point guard Bobbi Jo Schuttemeier, who injured her knee in the sub-section semis earlier in the week. Freshman guards Taylor Winjum and Maria Fruechte did an excellent job filling in for Schuttemeier, but the senior-dominated Chatfield team proved to be just a little better…at least last Saturday night.
The Chatfield defense played Caledonia’s Aly Meyer tough during the sub-section championship game.
Photo by Becky Fruechte
The Warriors held a slight 14-12 halftime lead in the low scoring affair. They came out running and gunning in the second half, went on a 9-0 scoring run and opened up a 30-20 lead.
The tide turned Chatfield’s way, however with eight minutes left in the game. Trailing 30-20, Chatfield’s Hilary Danielson missed a pair of free throws, but bolted through the lane, got the rebound and put the ball back in, making the score 30-22. That got the Gophers back in the game, as they went on a 18-2 run to take a 40-32 lead with 2:30 left in the game.
The defending state champs weren’t about to throw in the towel. They mounted an 8-0 run of their own. A lay-up by Sadie Lange and six straight free throws by Amber Sorenson, the final two with 30 seconds left, tied the game at 40-40.
Chatfield brought the ball down, moved it around and with six seconds left sophomore Kenna Moechnig hit an eight-foot jumper from the baseline.
The Warriors had one more chance, but turned the ball over on a traveling call and the Gophers had their second win over the Warriors in three tries this season.
“It is never fun to lose, but I was very proud of the girls, they played with a lot of heart,” coach Scott Sorenson said. “They will get better from the experience. I was really proud of the effort on the defensive end. We knew going in that we were going to want a low scoring game due to the loss of Bobbi Jo. We felt we could shut them down defensively and we did for the most part.
Junior Amber Sorenson looks for an opening in the Cotter defense during the Warrior’s win over the Ramblers last week.
Photo by Becky Fruechte
“The girls executed the game plan on the defensive end. We just struggled to hit some key shots and take care of a few fundamental things,” Sorenson continued. “That happens with youth. Sometimes they don’t see the big picture in that each little thing contributes to a win or a loss. A missed opportunity early in the game decides the outcome, not usually the last one or two possessions. Hopefully we learned from this game. We feel very fortunate to have ended the season where we did. Except for us, a lot of people did not expect us to be as successful as we were this season. That comes from hard work and confidence.
“Amber (Sorenson) was a stud tonight, scoring 21 of our 40 points. All this when Chatfield was denying her the ball all night. Our three freshman Taylor Winjum, Maria Fruechte and Emma Lange played well beyond their years all season and really give us a lot to be excited for in the years to come.
The stats
Junior Amber Soreneson led the way for the Warriors with 21 points, 15 were scored in the second half. She also had four rebounds and three blocked shots. Aly Meyer, the only senior on the team, was held to five points and had five rebounds. Freshman Emma Lange had five points and five rebounds. Freshman Maria Fruechte had five points and three steals. Junior Sadie Lange had two points and four rebounds and freshman Taylor Winjum had two points to round out the scoring for Caledoina.
The Warriors hit 11 of 33 from the field, had 23 rebounds and 17 turnovers.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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