for the second time, breckenridge loses tight battle
Photo by Carol Colby • Breckenridge Sports and School Photos
• Robert Wanek Jr.
The Breckenridge Cowgirls continued their late-season skid on Friday, losing to a 15-1 Pelican Rapids team by a score of 41-35 at home. The loss marked three in a row, all against section opponents, by a combined 10 points. With the loss, Breckenridge fell to 11-6 as the projected sixth seed in Section 8AA. Still, hanging close for a second time with the three-time reigning Heart O’ Lakes Conference champions and top-seeded Vikings is a welcome sign entering tournament time. Breckenridge dropped the first meeting, 43-41 on the road. Pelican Rapids has won 10 consecutive games. The Vikings and Cowgirls entered the contest with two of the top defenses in the section, allowing 39 and 42 points per game, respectively. This game featured the same drawn out zone defenses, resulting in a 15-12 halftime lead for the visitors. Seventh grade phenom Johnica Bernotas shared primary point guard duties throughout the half and did so with poise. She took care of the basketball and forced a five-second violation that kept the score within one possession heading into the locker room. Bernotas only scored five points, but they were big ones. Her baseline three in the second half keyed an eight-point run that cut the Vikings’ lead to 28-26. She also buried a step-back jumper from the wing to tie the game at 35-35 with 1:49 remaining. The Cowgirls struggled with a 29.3% field goal percentage, but Jude Held tried her best to put Breckenridge on the board. The senior scored a team-high 12 points, while also leading the way with seven rebounds and three steals. Carcie Materi was the only other Cowgirl in double figures with 10 points. The pair was each 2-of-5 from 3-PT distance. After Bernotas’ clutch jumper tied things up with less than two minutes to go, Greta Tollefson drew two fouls and made all four free throws to put the game on ice. Tollefson scored a game-high 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds. Breckenridge trailed by four with 20 seconds left, but failed to get a shot off until the waning seconds. The Cowgirls enter a packed Section 8AA playoff field featuring eight teams with winning records, including six on the south side. Breckenridge defeated the north’s top seed, Crookston, in the season opener. They also own season splits against potential opponents in Perham, Barnesville, and Hawley.
0 Comments
yaggie is seventh cowboy to join elusive scoring club
Photo by Carol Colby • Breckenridge Sports and School Photos
slow-starting cowboys can't catch up with moorhead • Photo by Carol Colby • By Robert Wanek
Breckenridge traveled to Moorhead on Saturday for a game against the Class 3A Spuds. The Cowboys fell behind early and despite their best efforts, lost 80-73. Anthony Conzemius has been efficient all season, but he upped his volume in this one, making 9-of-13 attempts, including both of his threes. The senior recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds. Conzemius is shooting at a fiery 60% rate through 14 games. After a single-digit scoring effort and some foul trouble at Barnesville, Conzemius’ senior leadership shined in this one. Trey Feeney and the Walthall brothers, Blake and Brady, outran the Cowboys from the jump. The Spuds’ speedy guard play led to attacking layups and open threes on kick-out passes, as Moorhead led 10-2. Conzemius answered with six quick points via the baby hook as Breckenridge aimed to stay in it. Moorhead’s guard play was key, as Brady Walthall, Isidro Lopez, and Feeney combined for 11 steals. Feeney ripped down 13 rebounds, including a put-back layup at the halftime buzzer. Not to be overshadowed was Cooper Yaggie’s fine defensive effort. The Cowboy guard took two charges and swiped a game-high four steals. He also led Breckenridge with five assists and scored 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 75% from three. Breckenridge got as close as six points late in the game, when Adam Ohm turned it on with four second-half threes. He shot 5-of-11 from deep, giving him an eye-popping 20 threes over the past four contests. Alex Ohm continued to be a capable passer in the Cowboys’ offense with four assists. Sebastian Anderson’s utility work yielded six rebounds and three steals. Jonah Christensen struggled from the field (6-of-19) but found ways to contribute with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Moorhead (8-8) was led by Feeney and Lopez with 18 points each. Brady Walthall and Adam Jenkins scored 15 and 12, respectively. The Spuds shot 51% from the field and an unreal 74% from inside the arc. Breckenridge (10-5) shot just 42%, but had one of its best games from three-point distance with a 41% rate. The Cowboys will travel to Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton (8-5) on Monday for the first of three road games to end the regular season. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. 16-Point second-half Comeback falls shorts
• Photo by Carol Colby
• By Robert Wanek Jr.
They charged back to tie the game from deficits of 13 and 16 points, but ultimately the Breckenridge boys basketball team fell at Barnesville on Friday, 81-78. With the result, the season series between the two is 1-1, setting up a potential Section 8AA playoff showdown. The two contests were separated by just five total points, with Breckenridge winning at home in overtime on February 2nd. Similar to the first meeting where Breckenridge trailed by nine at the half, Barnesville raced out to a 22-10 lead. Jack Nielsen knocked down a pair of threes and Adam Tonsfeldt used his signature runner in the lane to score 15 first-half points. Breckenridge wasn’t done though, as Sebastian Anderson and Alex Ohm hit four threes to revive the Cowboys. Alex Ohm had his best offensive game of the season, scoring eight first-half points and tallying a pair of key assists when it looked like the game was slipping away from the conference-leading Cowboys. Jonah Christensen came up with a block and heaved the ball to Cooper Yaggie, who was fouled and made both free throws with 4.8 seconds left in the half. After trailing 33-20, Breckenridge ended the half on a 16-3 run to tie things at 36-36. Christensen had a great game, recording his seventh double-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks. Barnesville’s Kaden Zenzen went to work in the second half, scoring 27 points in the game and battling for position down low against whoever the Cowboys threw at him. His inside play gave the Trojans a 16-point lead, but, when the game once again seemed over — here comes Adam Ohm. The senior missed four 3’s to start the game, but his last three were butter. Ohm connected from the corner to bring Breckenridge within one at 77-76 with 19.1 seconds left. Ultimately, Tonsfeldt would evade a trap on the ensuing inbounds play, kicking the ball up court to Zenzen for a layup. Breckenridge’s half-court heave at the buzzer bounced off the top of the backboard as the Trojans held on for a three-point win. Yaggie (17 points, 8 rebounds) and Anderson (14 points, 4 reb) were the other top scorers for Breckenridge. Anthony Conzemius shot 4-of-5 from the field for nine points and six rebounds. Barnesville was balanced by 28 points from Tonsfeldt, 27 from Zenzen, 13 from Nielsen, and 10 from Tate Inniger. The Cowboys (10-4) travel to Moorhead (7-8) Saturday afternoon for a 4 p.m. game. The Spuds are coming off back-to-back wins against familiar foes in Barnesville and Perham. It will be the third game in as many days for Moorhead. adam ohm and jonah christensen barnesville highlights
 • Photo by Carol Colby 31 points, nine 3's highlight big night for breck junior• By Robert Wanek Jr.
Carcie Materi has arrived. The Cowgirl junior carved her name into the Breckenridge record books on Thursday, tying Sarah Steinborn’s single-game high of 31 points, and passing Alyse Engen for most 3’s made in a game with nine. She outscored the entire Wheaton/Herman-Norcross team in a 53-26 home win. Materi’s record-setting night included other marks, too, like most threes in a half (7) and most consecutive threes made (6). She was joined in double figures by senior leader Jude Held, who scored a dozen. Thursday’s win marked the eighth game this season where Breckenridge held its opponent to under 40 points, and the third time they’ve kept an opponent under 30. Breckenridge only led 17-12 at halftime, as the Warriors came out in a similar zone scheme and Breckenridge struck out from beyond the arc. Materi’s two threes in the first half were only a preview to her scorching second half in which she scored 23 points. Her teammates found her multiple times near the finish in an attempt to give her sole possession of the scoring record, but it wasn’t meant to be, as Steinborn and Materi now share their place in Cowgirl history. Camryn Kaehler was a menace on the glass, ripping the rock from her opponents throughout the first half. Statistics weren’t available at press time, but she surely had another 10+ rebound performance. Breckenridge is now 11-3 and sitting third in Section 8AA South behind Pelican Rapids, who they will face on March 12th, and Fergus Falls, who is currently ranked no. 1 in the QRF. Coach Austin Imdieke’s team continues to show growth on the defensive side, coupled with great guard play and improved outside shooting.  • Photo by Carol Colby Five scorers in double-figures, ohm hits five 3's• By Robert Wanek Jr.
Breckenridge and Hawley met on Tuesday with both teams riding three-game win streaks. The Cowboys overcame a 34-31 halftime deficit, winning 73-60 on the road for their 10th victory of the year. Breckenridge had five double-digit scorers in a balanced offensive effort. Following a seven 3-pointer performance vs. Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, Adam Ohm hit five more in this one, including a ceiling scraper from the corner to beat the halftime buzzer. The outside specialist finished with 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Ohm had little space to work with, making multiple shots in the corner as defenders flew past. Ohm has drilled 12-of-21 attempts from beyond the arc over the past two games. Breckenridge struggled to crack Hawley’s zone defense early on. A pair of jumpers in the lane from Sebastian Anderson and Jonah Christensen took the lid off and loosened things up for the Cowboy offense. Hot shooting by Alex Bratsch, who scored 11 in the half, paced the Nuggets throughout the period. Anthony Conzemius disrupted Hawley’s guard play inside, finishing with three blocks. He recorded his seventh double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Christensen recorded his sixth with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Christensen also dished out five assists to lead the team. Cooper Yaggie couldn’t buy a bucket early in this one, but that funk gave way to a team-high 18 points. He converted a trio of tough layups in the second half and banked home a three. His lockdown defense was on display, as he drew an offensive foul and forced two turnovers with full-court pressure. Near the end of the game, he hustled on two of his missed free throws to grab an offensive rebound and a steal that deflated the Nuggets. Anderson's poise and patience once again shined through, the senior wing finished with 11 points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks. He choose his shots wisely, lulling the defense to sleep and stepping into high percentage looks in a 5-of-9 shooting performance. Breckenridge (10-3) travels to Barnesville (8-4) on Friday for a tilt with the Trojans, tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. The Cowboys won the first meeting this season at home in a 61-59 overtime thriller. Breckenridge has won four straight, while Barnesville is coming off two tight victories over East Grand Forks and DGF. Grant Davis, adam ohm, cooper yaggie • Photos by Kynzie Meyer and Carol Colby • By Robert Wanek Jr.
Breck Sports Talk's Athletes of the Week selections are in. Two boys basketball players led the offensive attack for the 9-3 Cowboys and one wrestler hit double digit victories for the season to highlight round six presented by Superior Builders and Circle of Nations. Adam Ohm (Basketball) - Ohm knocked down seven 3's on Senior Night in a big Section 8AA victory over Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. It was the second performance of the year with 21 points and seven triples for the senior, who let loose for a dozen 3-PT shot attempts as Breckenridge rode the hot hand for its eighth home win. Cooper Yaggie (Basketball) - Yaggie continued to be the Cowboys' primary scoring threat, averaging 20.5 points over two Breckenridge victories. Both games were section tilts, as Yaggie showed his explosive dribble drives and recent shooting surge from deep make the Cowboys a legitimate title contender in 2021. Grant Davis (Wrestling) - Davis stepped up and tossed his opponent around the mat during his individual victory vs. New York Mills, running his season record to an impressive 10-3. Erlandson bros. go 2-0, davis grapples to his 10th win Photos by Kynzie Meyer • Grant Davis is 10-3 on the season for Breckenridge. • By Zach Haire Last Thursday, the Cowboys traveled to Parkers Prairie to take on two of the top Section 6A teams in New York Mills and Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale/Parkers Prairie. Although a few injuries kept some key wrestlers from taking the mat for the Cowboys, the athletes who did hit the mat wrestled well. The Erlandson brothers led the charge with both David and Daniel going 2-0 on the night. Seventh grader David from behind in both matches with thrilling third period moves to overtake his foes at 132 pounds. Senior Daniel continued his dominating run at 220 pounds with two quick pins in his bouts. He boosted his record to 16-1 on the season with 10 of his victories coming via pin. Also collecting wins on the varsity side were Matt Noll and Grant Davis with their decision victories. In the exhibition matches, David Erlandson went 2-0 and Henry Slettedahl put together a solid performance to pick up a win.  David Erlandson continues his surge as a varsity newcomer.  Daniel Erlandson is now 16-1 on his senior campaign. ohm hits seven 3's in encore shooting performance
• Photos by Carol Colby of Breckenridge Sports and School Photos
Christensen quietly kept banging at the block, grinding his way to 14 points, a dozen of those coming in the paint. Sebastian Anderson scored zero points, but was vital to the Cowboys’ flow on both ends. His baseline steal and assist at the six-minute mark gave Breckenridge a commanding 68-51 lead.
Jacob Vizenor capped things off with seven points, going 3-for-3 from the field and drilling a corner three as the Cowboys cruised to an 84-65 victory. Breckenridge shot 62% from inside the arc and 44% from 3-PT range. DGF shot 44% from inside the arc and 35% from 3-PT range. Breckenridge honored the following seniors — Reese Pederson, Jonah Christensen, Anthony Conzemius, Sebastian Anderson, Gus Hasbargen, Cooper Yaggie, Christian Nieto, Logan Mammenga, Adam Ohm, Junior Perez, Jacob Vizenor, Austin Erickson, and Jace Hegge. Scoring leaders were Ohm (21), Yaggie (20), Conzemius (16), Christensen (14), and Vizenor (7). Rebounding leaders were Conzemius (17), Christensen (8), and Pederson (4).  Photo by Carol Colby cowgirls hold hawley to nine first-half points |
|
