Bucs’ defense puts up good effort in loss
Martin County West gets 17th win with 41-21 triumph over BEA

Blue Earth Area’s Erika Gaydon tries to dribble past a defender and make her way to the hoop during a recent game on the Buccaneers’ home floor.
The Blue Earth Area Buccaneers’ defense held the Martin County West Mavericks’ offense to their third-lowest point output of the season when the two girls basketball teams met in Blue Earth on Monday, Feb. 12.
Unfortunately, the Bucs’ offense could not get enough of their shots to fall through the hoop and the Mavericks went home with a 41-21 victory.
In what turned out to be a very low-scoring first half, MCW took a 9-0 lead before Ashlyn Klinkner scored on a nice assist by Madelyn Ferguson seven minutes into the contest.
Lola Lundquist then found Ferguson free for a basket. Next, Lundquist went to the free throw line and made one of two shots to cut the Mavericks’ lead to 9-5 midway through the first half.
However, BEA was shut out for the remainder of the first stanza while MCW added 10 more points to take a 19-5 lead at the intermission.
The Bucs seemed to have solved their shooting woes when the second half began.
Erika Gaydon and Kate Armon each connected for 3-pointers to trim MCW’s advantage to eight points at 19-11.
The Mavericks responded with a 10-0 run to increase their lead to 29-11. A 3-pointer by Lundquist put an end to MCW’s scoring streak. The BEA guard added a jump shot and two more free throws to narrow the Bucs’ deficit to 11 points with the Mavericks still on top 29-18 with 7:35 left in the game.
BEA would score only three more points during the remainder of the contest while MCW would tally 12 more to make the final 41-21.
Lundquist led the Bucs with eight points followed by Armon with five.
With the win the Mavericks improved their record to 17-5 while the Bucs fell to 2-20.
BEA played host to Pipestone Area on Saturday, Feb. 17, as part of the Big South Conference Showcase.
The Bucs will host their final home game of the season on Monday, Feb. 19, against the Medford Tigers before traveling to Worthington the next day to face the Trojans in their final game of the regular season.
Look for results of those games in next week’s edition of the Faribault County Register.
New Ulm 71, BEA 26
The Class AAA No. 9-ranked New Ulm Eagles defeated the Blue Earth Area Buccaneers 71-26 in girls basketball action on Friday, Feb. 9, in New Ulm.
The Eagles led at the half 32-12 before outscoring the Bucs 39-14 in the second half.
New Ulm outrebounded BEA by a 42-27 margin and forced the Bucs to commit 29 turnovers. The Eagles were charged with 15 turnovers.
Kate Armon led the Maroon and Gold in scoring with 10 points followed by Lola Lundquist with eight.
Lundquist pulled down six rebounds, Armon had five and Madelyn Ferguson recorded four.