It was a big night for New Richand-Hartland-Ellendale Geneva junior Carlie Wagner as she scored a tournament record tying 48 points to lead the Panthers to a 67-60 win over the Minneapolis Washburn Millers in the Class AA semifinals Friday night at Target Center in Minneapolis.
The NRHEG junior tied her own record, which was set last year against Pequot Lakes
Megan Lucas, who had the task of guarding Carlie Wagner, got the Millers on the board :12 into the game. The Millers went on a 4-0 until Carlie Wagner hit a pair of free throws. Washburn went up by seven on a three pointer by Natalie Holdahl. NRHEG narrowed the lead on four straight points from Carlie Wagner. Her basket evened the game at 21. The lead changed hands until katie cole hit a three pointer to put the Panthers in front.
Carlie was not the only Wagner on the floor for NRHEG. Her sisters Maddie and Marnie were also in the game, sometimes together. The fouls were piling up in gargantuan numbers with Marnie and Maddie Wagner picking up their third fouls for NRHEg and Audrey DeVaughn for Washburn. The Millers came close when a pair of free throws by Lucia Renikoff cut the lead to one. The Panthers added a couple of points to lead at the half 32-29.
Carlie Wagner stared to heat up after Aubrey DeVaughn began the second half scoring for the Millers. She hit five straight points to widen the Panther lead. Chase Coley, Washburn's 6'3" junior center got her first point and they went on a 4-0 run to cut the lead to one but they were plagued by foul trouble, losing three players to fouls, DeVughn, Lucas and Holdahl.
The Panther scoring was not only Carlie Wagner. It was Maddie Wagner who followed up Carlie's shot with a basket and Carlie also converted at the free throw line, going 17 for 21 to put NRHEG in the Class AA Championship game Saturday afternoon against Braham at 2 PM at Target Center.
Washburn will play Providence Academy for third place Saturday at noon at Ganglehoff Center on the Concordia University campus.
Holdahl led Washburn with 17 points. Other players in double figures were Coley with 16 points, including 19 rebounds and five blocks. Lucas added 14.
Attendance at the Class AA session was 3,490. The Class A session drew 1,447, bringing Friday''s total attendance to 4,937.
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