PREP GIRLS' BASKETBALL: Windom falls to Fairmont 48-38 in 3AA

JACKSON — Putting eight players in the scoring column and displaying outstanding all-around team hustle, the seventh-seeded Windom Eagles nearly pulled off their second upset of the Section 3AA high school girls’ basketball tournament Friday night.

With less than 10 minutes to play in the second half, the Eagles held a 34-31 lead, but the third-seeded Fairmont Cardinals rallied with 17 straight points and claimed a 48-38 victory over Windom in the tournament’s semifinal round.

The victory advanced Fairmont (14-9) to Monday’s sub-section championship game against Worthington, while the Eagles — who defeated second-seeded Jackson County Central, 61-56, in the quarterfinals — finished their season with a 4-21 record.

Playing a well-designed zone defense and paced by 10 first-half points by the aggressive all-around play of senior Abby Hayenga, Windom built leads of 10-9, 14-11, 18-13 and 27-24 prior to intermission.

The Cardinals netted a shot at the buzzer, slicing the Eagles’ halftime edge to 27-26.

Each team scored just three points in the first seven minutes of the second half, before back-to-back baskets by Windom sophomore Kelsey Hanefeld sparked the Eagles to a 34-31 advantage.

With 9:03 to play in the game, Fairmont’s Kayla Lardy scored on a reverse layup, giving the Cardinals a 35-34 edge.

A three-point play by Megan Roloff — off a fastbreak pass from Justine Gerdts — gave Fairmont a 44-34 lead with 6:23 to play and the Cardinals held on their 10-point victory.

Kamara Cone scored a game-high 13 points to lead a balanced Fairmont scoring attack, as nine Cardinals scored in the game.

Hayenga finished with 11 points to lead Windom, while Hanefeld (six), Gina Hauge (five) and Sami Peterson (five) combined for 16 more points for the Eagles, who shot just 21 percent (four of 19) from the field in the second half.

Windom 27 11 — 38

Fairmont 26 22 — 48

Windom (3FG-2FG-FT-TP) Hanefeld 0-3-0-6, Olson 0-1-0-2, Hayenga 0-5-1-11, Eigenberg 0-2-0-4, Peterson 1-0-2-5, Sorenson 0-1-0-2, Larson 0-1-1-3, Hauge 0-2-1-5. Totals 1-15-5-38.

Fairmont (3FG-2FG-FT-TP) Kim 0-2-0-4, Cone 0-6-1-13, Thiesse 1-0-1-4, Roloff 0-3-1-7, Campe 1-1-0-5, Fuhrman 0-1-0-2, Gerdts 0-2-1-5, Christianson 0-1-1-3, Lardy 0-2-1-5. Totals 2-18-6-48.

Tags: sports, prep, basketball, windom