A 23-4 run in the first half sparked the Park Rapids girls basketball team to an 85-54 win at Menahga in the regular-season finale Tuesday night.
Gabie Johnson’s pair of baskets and a layup by Bria Wolff were offset by three layups by Menahga’s Lakyn Anderson as the game was tied 6-6 with 13:46 to play in the first half.
That’s when the Panthers followed a 10-0 run with a 13-2 run to take control.
Wolff’s pair of layups and a layup off a steal by Katie Klein gave the Panthers a 16-6 lead before Lindsay Hendrickson’s layup at the 7:50 mark ended that run.
The Panthers followed with a 9-0 run behind a 3-pointer and layup by Klein and a basket off a rebound by Jaiden McCollum for a 25-8 advantage at the 6:02 mark.
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A layup by Menahga’s Alayna Lake was followed by baskets by Wolff and Klein as the Panthers led 29-10 with 5:22 to go in the first half.
Another layup by Lake, a three-point play by Anderson, a 3-pointer by Cierra Ahlf and a layup by Anderson pulled the Braves to within 31-21 at the 3:16 mark before the Panthers closed the half with an 11-0 run. Klein scored on a layup, off a rebound, on a jumper and on a 3-pointer while McCollum scored off a rebound as the Panthers carried a 42-21 lead into the break.
Pihlaja opened the second half with a pair of jumpers and a 3-pointer while Wolff had a pair of baskets as the Panthers led 52-30 with 14:05 to play. Two baskets apiece by Gabie Johnson and McCollum pushed Park Rapids’ lead to 62-30 with 10:24 to play.
Two baskets apiece by Madisen Wagner, Wolff and Johnson pushed the margin to 76-42 at the 4:08 mark. A 3-pointer by Megan Olson and baskets by Madison Steffel, Carly Waggoner and Kendra Coborn concluded the scoring for the Panthers while Sarah Kuismi hit a 3-pointer and Andrea Korvela, Anderson, Pihlaja and Jen Stifter had field goals for the Braves down the stretch.
Klein finished with 25 points, Wolff scored 19 points and McCollum and Johnson had 12 points apiece for the Panthers, who ended the regular season with a 16-9 record.
Anderson scored 16 points and Pihlaja added 12 points as the Braves fell to 9-14.
PARK RAPIDS: H. Johnson 0 1-2 1, McCollum 6 0-0 12, Klein 9 5-11 25, Wolff 9 1-2 19, G. Johnson 6 0-0 12, Olson 1 0-0 3, Wagner 2 2-5 6, Warne 0 1-2 1, Overmyer 0 0-0 0, Waggoner 1 0-0 2, Coborn 1 0-0 2, Steffel 1 0-0 2. Totals: 36 (FG), 10 for 22 (FT).
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MENAHGA: Allebach 3 0-0 6, Anderson 7 2-3 16, Stifter 1 0-0 2, Ahlf 1 0-0 3, Pihlaja 5 1-1 12, Al. Lake 3 0-0 6, Kuismi 1 0-0 3, L. Hendrickson 1 0-0 2, Peterson 0 0-0 0, Yliniemi 1 0-0 2, Korvela 1 0-0 2. Totals: 24 (FG), 3 for 4 (FT).
Halftime: Park Rapids 42, Menahga 21. Three-pointers: Olson 1, Klein 2, Kuismi 1, Ahlf 1, Pihlaja 1. Team fouls: Park Rapids 13, Menahga 18. Fouled out: Peterson.
Korf leads Pelican Rapids to win
MacKenzie Korf scored 28 points in leading Pelican Rapids to an 82-65 win over the Panthers last Saturday at Pelican Rapids.
Hally Evenson added 20 points, Lincoln Haiby had 16 points and 15 rebounds, and Grace Forsgren scored 10 points as the Vikings improved to 15-8.
Klein (21), McCollum (18) and Wolff (11) hit double figures for the Panthers.
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PARK RAPIDS: H. Johnson 1 4-6 6, McCollum 8 2-2 18, Klein 9 0-5 21, Wolff 5 1-3 11, G. Johnson 4 0-0 9, Wagner 0 0-4 0, Warne 0 0-0 0, Steffel 0 0-0 0. Totals: 24 (FG), 7 for 20 (FT).
PELICAN RAPIDS: Harthun 2 0-0 4, Korf 10 7-8 28, Haiby 5 6-6 16, Forsgren 4 0-0 10, Isaman 1 0-0 2, Evenson 7 6-7 20, Thorson 1 0-0 2. Totals: 30 (FG), 19 for 21 (FT).
Halftime: Pelican Rapids 42, Park Rapids 31. Three-pointers: G. Johnson 1, Korf 1, Forsgren 2. Team fouls: Park Rapids 17, Pelican Rapids 20.
