MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- In his first game with the title "Minnesota's all-time leading scorer," Ellsworth senior Cody Schilling scored a game-high 30 points and the defending Class 1A champion Panthers defeated Norman County East 66-52 in the boys state basketball semifinals on Friday.
Schilling, whose 23 points in the state quarterfinals gave him 3,367 for his career to surpass Isaiah Dahlman's previous record, scored 21 in Friday's second half and seven during an 8-0 run that helped Ellsworth take a 46-32 lead with 10:11 left in the game.
The Panthers (30-2) led by at least eight points the rest of the way and advanced to play Minnesota Transitions in Saturday's title game.
The Eagles, playing without injured leading scorer David Varriano for most of the game, got 20 points from junior Taylor Bennefeld and 18 from his brother, Tyler Bennefeld.
Varriano -- averaging 17.4 points per game this season -- fell hard in a collision under the basket with Norman County East on defense with 4:43 remaining in the first half. He remained on the ground for several minutes before walking off under his own power. He returned to start the second half, but was taken out for good after the first possession and finished with three points.
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Norman County East -- making its second state appearance and first since winning the 1998 title -- kept things close without Varriano, but eventually had its 10-game winning streak snapped. The Eagles (25-6) will face Cass Lake-Bena in Saturday's third place game.
Ellsworth, making its third consecutive and fourth overall state tournament appearance, extended its winning streak to 22 games.
