MACA girls edged in season debut at Benson

Kaitlyn Berreau was a major force for Benson in the Friday game that had our MACA Tigers on the losing end. Our GBB season debut ended in a 65-64 defeat at the hands of the Braves. Berreau is a senior guard. She came at the Tigers with 29 points including an onslaught of seven 3-pointers. She was a force that enabled Benson to escape a halftime deficit.
The Tigers had the 37-27 halftime advantage. The final moments of this contest had drama. The clock showed four seconds left when Benson put the wheels in motion for what turned out to be the decisive play. It was a baseline out-of-bounds play. Claire Ricard got the ball in her hands and put up a successful shot. The fans at the Benson gym cheered for the home team success.
MACA fans watched as there was just one Carrington in action instead of the two that we might have expected. MACA athletics was dealt an injury blow during the fall when Maddie Carrington experienced a torn ACL in a Homecoming exhibition event. So we now see Meredith Carrington gamely carrying the family banner in hoops exploits for the new season. Meredith had impact as she made two 3-pointers as part of eleven points scored.
Two other Tigers made a pair of 3's: Emma Bowman and Mackenna Kehoe. LaRae Kram added one '3' to the mix. Malory Anderson was the major contributor in the orange and black offense: 17 points. Meredith was second-high, then we have Kram with nine points, Bowman and Kylee Swanson each with eight, Kehoe with seven and Kendra Wevley with four.
Benson's Berreau highlighted the stats with her 29 points. We can just see the scouting reports developing on her. Ricard made noise offensively with her 20 points including the clutch shot at the end. Benson's other scorers were Abby Lundebrek (5), Abbie Mitteness (4), Marissa Connelly (3), Sarah Brandt (2) and Kimmy Pagel (2).
Berreau's barrage of seven 3-pointers was complemented by one '3' by Connelly. The Braves surged to outscore the Tigers 38-27 in the second half. Our coach Dale Henrich might have to work a little harder with halftime adjustments! The game was the season opener for both teams.
 
Hancock 63, Dawson-Boyd 43
The home gym was the site for the Hancock GBB opener Friday. It was a night to celebrate a winning outcome. The score was 63-43 versus the Blackjacks of Dawson-Boyd. (I've always enjoyed that nickname.)
Hancock breezed with a 35-21 advantage in the first half and kept going with a 28-22 edge in second half play. Four Owls each made one 3-point shot: Kaitlyn Staples, Jenna Kannegiesser, Alexis Staples and Morgan Kisgen. It was Kisgen leading the way in scoring with 14 points. Two other Owls got into double figures: Rylee Hanson and Alexis Staples each with eleven. Six other Owls scored: Kannegiesser (9), Tori Pahl (7), Kaitlyn Staples (5), Lindsey Mattson (2), Jordan Hausmann (2) and Misti Zempel (2).
Pahl topped the rebound list with eight followed by Kannegiesser and Kisgen each with six. Kisgen picked up two assists. Kisgen and Alexis Staples each had two steals.
The Bartuneks led the Dawson-Boyd scoring, Avery with 15 points and Laney with eleven. Other Blackjacks with points were Chelsie Husby (7), Alexis Breitenstein (5), Amelia Olson (3) and Rachael Lund (2). Husby had the only '3' for the Blackjacks. Their rebound leaders were Avery Bartunek with ten and Olson with five. Olson dished out three assists. Steal leaders were Avery Bartunek with nine and Olson with three.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com