WORTHINGTON -- It took overtime to get the Worthington Trojans girls basketball team a big victory Monday night at the WHS gym. And it was a big victory, indeed.
Worthington eclipsed the St. Peter Saints 71-67, which should pay some dividends for the local girls when section tournament seeding time comes around.
St. Peter came in as the third-ranked team in the section.
“It’s a section win, and it’s a No. 3. And they beat Marshall,” WHS head coach Eric Lindner pointed out about the Saints after Monday’s result.
Worthington led by three points late in regulation, but the Saints hit a 3-point shot just before the buzzer.
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In the overtime period Worthington had to play without starters Brooklyn Scheitel-Taylor and Tarren Spzrtz, who’d fouled out before the fourth quarter ended.
It was a back-and-forth overtime period. St. Peter scored the first four points, Worthington tied it up with about three minutes remaining. Lindner inserted rarely-used reserves, sophomore sisters Newyouman Gora and Phamananewyou Gora, in OT and with about 1:45 to go, Phamananewyou connected on a 3-pointer. With 23 seconds left the Trojans led 67-65. Olivia Hayenga made one of two free throws with 23 seconds left to put WHS up 68-65. New Ulm responded with a 2-point shot, then Worthington’s Madison Beckmann made one of two free throws for a 71-67 Trojan lead.
Hayenga finished with 33 points. Ellie Weg had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Spartz had nine points. Beckmann scored eight points. Scheitel-Taylor had six rebounds, five assists and five steals.
Rhyan Holmgren and Annika Southworth scored 22 and 21 points, respectively, for St. Peter.
St. Peter 23 59 67
Worthington 28 59 71
