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WORTHINGTON — The Minnesota West women kept rolling along and the men fell a bit short here Saturday in a college basketball doubleheader with the visiting Voyageurs of Minnesota North-Rainy River.
The nationally ranked West women of coach Rosalie Hayenga-Hostikka improved to 10-1 on the season with a 98-50 triumph. Bluejays
The West men of coach Brian Stoebner, meanwhile, battled hard but dropped a 91-82 decision.
West women win again
Freshman guard Olivia Hayenga had 24 points, six rebounds and seven assists to lead the Jays to a huge victory.
Hayenga and fellow former Worthington High star Madisyn Huisman (16 points, five rebounds, four assists) filled up the state sheet as Minnesota West won its sixth in a row. Hayenga shot 10-for-15 from the field. She had four of Minnesota West’s 27 steals.
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Audrey Drapeau starred off the bench with 19 points and six boards, while Dannyn Peterson scored 12 and Tia Murray added 10.
Minnesota West, which led 29-16 after one quarter and outscored the Voyageurs 32-10 in the second stanza, shot 15-for-16 at the foul line and out rebounded Rainy River 62-51.
Kiarra Edley and Azahriah Ellis scored 12 points apiece for Rainy River (3-5).
“We did a great job of taking care of business,” said coach Hayenga-Hostikka, the former Minnesota West star player who is Olivia’s aunt. “Our second quarter was amazing and to have five kids in double figures is awesome. I was also really excited that we had 28 assists as a team. Really fun to see us share the ball.”
Minnesota North-Rainy River 16 10 10 14 — 50
Minnesota West 29 32 10 27 —98
West men come up short
Nathan Kindred scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but the host Bluejays could’ve quite catch Rainy River.
Dillon Jackson and Elijah Williams scored 18 points apiece for Minnesota West, while Dominic Drent added nine.
For Rainy River, now 5-2 on the season, Malik Siggers led a whopping six players in double figures with 28 points. He was 8-for-13 from the field and 10-for-15 from the foul line.
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Alexander Aguilar scored 13 for the Voyageurs, while Christian Pujals and Berrian Delinois added 11 apiece.
Rainy River shot 53 percent from the floor (31-for-59) and made 21 of 30 free throws. The Voyageurs led 48-36 at halftime.
For Minnesota West (3-7), Kindred was 7-for-13 from the field and 7-of-8 at the foul stripe. The Bluejays turned it over 29 times, compared to 20 turnovers for Rainy River.
“I need to do a better job getting our guys to come out with more energy,” said coach Stoebner. “We started slow but I was proud of the effort in the second half, doing down 24 and cutting (the deficit) down to six with under five minutes to go.”
Minnesota North-Rainy River 48 43 — 91
Minnesota West 36 46 — 82
