Girls Basketball: Detroit Lakes holds on for 52-36 victory over Park Rapids

Park Rapids' Mickey Clark (middle) battles Detroit Lakes' Abigail Larson (left) and Gabriella Bettcher for a loose ball during a Mid-State Conference game at the Area High School gym on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023.

By Vance Carlson

January 29, 2023 at 10:25 AM

PARK RAPIDS – Accuracy at the free throw line helped Detroit Lakes hold on for a 52-36 Mid-State Conference victory over the Park Rapids girls basketball team at the Area High School gym on Friday, Jan. 27.

The Lakers, who were rated No. 12 in the latest state Class AAA poll, hit 11 of 12 free throws in the final 2:14 to secure the win.

A pair of baskets by Olivia Davis and a 3-pointer by Gabi Shepserky kept Park Rapids within 12-9 at the 8:09 mark of the first half before two layups apiece by Abigail Larson and Ellie Lunde gave the Lakers a 20-9 advantage with 3:41 to play in the opening half. Detroit Lakes led 27-16 at the break as a 3-pointer by Tori Weaver and a jumper by Mady Maninga paced the Panthers.

Mickey Clark opened the second half with a layup to make it 27-18, but a putback by Karlee Mace, a layup by Lunde and a layup off a steal by Ella Okeson gave the Lakers a 35-20 lead with 12:11 to go.

The Panthers rallied as a layup by Maninga, a 3-pointer by Anna Yliniemi and a layup by Weaver cut the gap to 36-29 with 4:56 remaining. A 3-pointer by Shepersky and a layup by Davis made it 41-34 at the 3:09 mark, but Detroit Lakes held on as Larson, Gabriella Bettcher, Malena Daggett and Mace converted at the line down the stretch. The Lakers made 24 of 31 free throws in the game.

Larson scored 18 points to lead a balanced offensive attack as the Lakers improved to 3-1 in the conference and 14-3 overall.

Davis (10), Weaver (7), Shepersky (6) and Yliniemi (6) combined for 29 points while Harmon (6) and Yliniemi (5) combined for 11 rebounds. Eischens had five assists and Davis had three steals for the Panthers, who slipped to 2-2 against conference opponents and 7-8 overall. Park Rapids went 4 for 21 on 3-pointers and had 25 turnovers.

DETROIT LAKES: Larson 4 10-13 18, Daggett 1 2-2 4, Gunderson 1 0-0 2, Bettcher 1 2-2 4, Lunde 4 0-0 8, Okeson 2 3-4 7, Mace 1 7-10 9. Totals: 14 for 43 (FG), 24 for 31 (FT).

PARK RAPIDS: Clark 1 1-2 3, Shepersky 2 0-0 6, Weaver 2 2-3 7, Davis 3 4-6 10, Harmon 0 0-0 0, Lund 0 0-0 0, Maninga 2 0-0 4, Yliniemi 1 3-4 6, Eischens 0 0-0 0, A. Cederstrom 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11 for 47 (FG), 10 for 15 (FT).

Halftime: Detroit Lakes 27, Park Rapids 16. Three-pointers: Shepersky 2, Weaver 1, Yliniemi 1. Team fouls: Detroit Lakes 14, Park Rapids 23. Fouled out: Weaver. Rebounds: Park Rapids 31 (Harmon 6, Yliniemi 5, Clark 4, Shepersky 4, Weaver 4, Davis 3, Maninga 3, Eischens 2). Assists: Park Rapids 10 (Eischens 5, Weaver 2, Clark 1, Davis 1, Harmon 1). Steals: Park Rapids 12 (Davis 3, Weaver 2, Yliniemi 2, Eischens 2, Clark 1, Shepersky 1, Harmon 1). Blocked shots: Park Rapids 2 (Shepersky 1, Harmon 1). Turnovers: Detroit Lakes 19, Park Rapids 25.

Rangers prevail over Panthers

CROSBY – Tori Oehrlein’s double-double of 30 points and 14 rebounds sparked Crosby-Ironton to a 69-56 conference win over the Panthers on Jan. 24.

Hannah Compton and Margaret Silgen added 14 points apiece for the Rangers, who made 8 of 25 3-pointers. C-I, which led 39-35 at the half, improved to 2-1 in the conference and 10-5 overall.

Shepersky made seven 3-pointers and scored 21 points, Weaver added 12 points and Davis scored 10 points for the Panthers, who went 10 for 28 on 3-pointers. Davis had eight rebounds and four steals while Yliniemi had seven rebounds and three steals.

PARK RAPIDS: Clark 1 0-0 3, Shepersky 7 0-0 21, Weaver 4 2-2 12, Davis 4 2-4 10, Harmon 1 1-2 3, Bagstad 0 0--0 0, N. Cederstrom 1 1-2 3, Maninga 0 1-2 1, Yliniemi 0 0-0 0, Eischens 0 1-2 1, Persons 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 for 57 (FG), 8 for 14 (FT).

CROSBY-IRONTON: Schaefer 2 1-4 5, Vignieri 1 0-0 2, Compton 5 0-0 14, Hollenhorst 2 0-0 4, Silgen 5 1-2 14, Oehrlein 12 5-7 30. Totals: 27 for 65 (FG), 7 for 13 (FT).

Halftime: C-I 39, Park Rapids 35. Three-pointers: Clark 1, Shepersky 7, Weaver 2, Compton 4, Silgen 3, Oehrlein 1. Team fouls: Park Rapids 10, C-I 14. Rebounds: Park Rapids 32 (Davis 8, Yliniemi 7, Harmon 4, Maninga 4, Weaver 3, Clark 2, Eischens 2, Shepersky 1, Bagstad 1). Assists: Park Rapids 13 (Clark 2, Weaver 2, Maninga 2, Yliniemi 2, Eischens 2, Shepersky 1, Davis 1, Bagstad 1). Steals: Park Rapids 12 (Davis 4, Yliniemi 3, Weaver 2, Shepersky 1, N. Cederstrom 1, Maninga 1). Blocked shots: Park Rapids 1 (Weaver). Turnovers: Park Rapids 20, C-I 16.