Hayley Pirsig

The Blue Earth Area girls basketball team claimed a share of the conference title with a 57-26 victory over the New Ulm Eagles in Blue Earth Feb. 19.

It was never close. The Bucs scored the first 14 points of the game, while holding New Ulm scoreless until just over 11 minutes remained in the opening half.

Kate Hassing scored the game’s first three points when she converted a free throw to finish off a traditional 3-point play.

The Bucs’ press forced an Eagles’ turnover and Ashley Olson sank a trey to put the Bucs up 6-0. Blue Earth Area got the ball back again when the Eagles were called for a 5-second violation when they were unable to inbound the ball.

In-bounding the ball under their own basket, the Bucs made it 8-0 with Hassing scoring off the in-bounds pass. A Hassing to Hayley Pirsig pass after a missed New Ulm shot resulted in another basket and a 10-0 Bucs’ lead.

Morgan Dickman

Hassing’s hard work on the offensive boards earned her two more points as she converted her own missed shot. Olivia Skaare’s inside basket completed the game opening run and the Eagles would not recover.

Olson’s second trey of the game with four seconds left in the first half sent the Bucs to the locker room with a 28-14 lead.

“Defensively, it was good to see us playing the great defense we are capable of,” notes Bucs’ coach Al Cue. “And, we were making good decisions on offense.”

The second half was more of the same as the Buccaneer defense held the Eagles to just 12 points while putting up 29 points themselves.

With the Bucs having a deep bench and a big lead, every Bucs player was able to get playing time. Eleven different players scored for the maroon and gold, led by Hassing with 12 points and followed by Olson, Morgan Dickman and Pirsig with eight each.

Sydney Ristau

Point guard Olson led the team in rebounds with five, while Hassing finished the game with four.

Blue Earth Area doled out 16 assists, led by Dickman and Olson with three each. Sara Warmka, Camille Driscoll, and Mandy Warmka were each credited with two assists.

The victory left Blue Earth Area tied with Fairmont atop the South Central Conference with identical 8-2 records. The Bucs overall record improved to 17-4.

Tournament play begins March 2 with the Bucs hosting Triton in Blue Earth with a 7 p.m. start time.