Area girls basketball roundup from Tuesday evening

It was the 2023-2024 season opener for both the Grand Meadow Superlarks and the Lyle/Pacelli Athletics in Southeast Conference girls basketball in Grand Meadow Tuesday evening, and it was the Superlarks racing out to a 36-13 halftime lead on their way to a 62-23 win.

The Larks had three players in double figures, led by veteran Lauren Queensland, who led all scorers with 22 points, Lexy Foster, another returning starter for Grand Meadow tallied 19 points, Gracie Foster, who also saw significant playing time last year for the Larks totaled 12 points, Aspen Kolling scored three points, and Madilynn Clapp, Grace Soltau and Naomi Warmka all scored two points apiece in the win.  For Lyle/Pacelli, veteran guard Kirsten Koopal led the Athletics in scoring Tuesday night with seven points, Mogran Klankowski, another returning starter for LP added five points, Elizabeth Frederick tallied three points, and Autumn Drennan, Audrey Wilde, Jada Leif, and Lexi Lewis all scored two points apiece in the loss.

The 1-0 Superlarks return to action in Adams versus Southland next Tuesday, December 5th, with the varsity tip-off at 7:;15 p.m. that evening, while the 0-2 Athletics are back on the court Friday night in Lyle versus Mankato Loyola in a non-conference matchup, with the varsity tip-off set for 7:15 p.m.  You’ll hear the game live on AM 1480 KAUS, with the pre-game show getting underway at 7:00 p.m.

The LeRoy/Ostrander Cardinals, who started out the season with a 89-54 loss versus Chatfield at the St. Charles Thanksgiving Tournament last Saturday were back on the road Tuesday night to take on the Houston Hurricanes in a Southeast Conference matchup, and it was the Hurricanes rolling to a 74-52 win.

The Hurricanes led 50-22 at the half on their way to the win, and the Cardinals were led in scoring by Benita Nolt, who registered 25 points in the contest, Jenna Olson drained four of LeRoy/Ostrander’s six 3-pointers in the game for 12 points, Keira Lewison tallied eight points, Miranda Nagel registered five points, and Mabel Johnson scored two points in the loss Tuesday evening.

The Cardinals are 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the Southeast Conference, and they return to action at United South Central Thursday evening, with the varsity tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

The Blooming Prairie Awesome Blossoms, under the tutelage of new Head Coach John Worke, who took the reins during the off-season from former Head Coach John Bruns, who coached the Blossoms for eight years after coaching the Blossoms boys basketball team for 16 years prior opened their 2023-2024 season in Waseca Tuesday night in a non-conference tilt with the Bluejays, and it was the Blossoms coming out on top, 40-24.

Shawntee Snyder and Addison Doocy combined to score 30 of BP’s 40 points in the game, as Snyder tallied 17 points and Doocy 13, Macy Lembke drained the only 3-pointer of the game for the Blossoms on her way to eight points, and Claire Schwarz added two points in a game that saw the Blossoms take an 18-8 lead at the half.  A big key to the win for the Blossoms Tuesday evening was free-throw shooting, as BP 9 for 12 from the line, while the Bluejays shot only two free throws, and made one.

Blooming Prairie opens the season at 1-0 with the win, and the Blossoms return to the court Friday night in Kenyon versus the Knights of Kenyon-Wanamingo in a Gopher Conference matchup, with the varsity tip-off scheduled for 7:15 p.m.  The Blossoms will play their first game in their new gym Saturday afternoon against Cannon Falls, with tip-off at 1:30 p.m.