by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
Winning has become habitual for the Thief River Falls girls basketball team during the 2022-23 season. The Prowlers are off until Friday (Feb. 3), when they wrap up a nine-game homestand during which they have gone 7-1 so far, with five consecutive wins.
Last week, the Prowlers gutted out a 44-40 win over Section 8A East-leading Fosston (13-2) to open the week on Tuesday, before concluding the week with a dominant 52-27 win over the Win-E-Mac Patriots.
The Prowlers are led by their defense most nights and they aren’t really equipped to come back from big deficits. On Tuesday, they trailed the Greyhounds by 11 points at the break.
“We had a very slow start on both ends of the floor,” said Thief River Falls Head Coach Paula Praska. “The girls did respond to the challenge to pick it up in the second half and they did that. Our defense really stepped up and we finished a few shots that we were missing in the first half.”
The Prowlers outscored the Greyhounds 32-17 over the final 18 minutes to claim the four-point win. Avah Waldal, 18 points and seven rebounds, and Breanna Myers, 11 points, led the Prowlers in scoring.
The Prowlers got going a little quicker Friday night against the Patriots. They led by 10 at the break before breaking the game open in the second half.
“We had a stronger defensive presence in this game,” Praska said. “Still not to what we have been in the last six games but heading in the right direction. We were able to get an inside game going and in the second half finished our shots in the paint.”
Waldal took care of business in the paint with a monster 21-point, 15-rebound double-double. She was the only Prowler in double figures, with Josie Peterson scoring nine points and Myers adding eight points.
Overall, the Prowlers have won eight of their last nine games and they have avoided back-to-back losses all season due in large part to their ability to play tough defensively.
“The big key for us winning these last games has been our defense,” Praska said. “We have been able to hold teams’ scoring down and it has put energy into our offense.”
Myers scores 18 to lead Prowlers over Rams
Thief River Falls defeated Roseau 60-55 in a come-from-behind effort on Friday, Jan. 19 at the Lincoln High School Brickhouse. Myers, a junior, scored 18 points to lead the way. Peterson, 13 points, and Waldal, 11, were also in double figures for the Prowlers.
Scoring
1 2 T
Win-E-Mac 2023 11 16 27
Thief River Falls 21 31 52
Win-E-Mac – Alyssa Morberg 3, Nadelly Neubert 3, Bret DuChamp 5, Kianna Tadman 6, Lauren Kaupang 2, Kiersten Anderson 4, Shelby Mandt 2, Ava Howard 2.
TRF – Sophia Kraemer 4, Maren Espe 5, Kendal Rantanen 3, Avah Waldal 21, Avery Koop 2, Josie Peterson 9, Breanna Myers 8.
Scoring
1 2 T
Fosston 23 17 40
Thief River Falls 12 32 44
Fosston – Brynlea Mahlen 12, Madison Bailie 2, Katelyn Vesledahl 11, Calli Burrack 2, Kinsley Duppong 9, Lexi Mahlen 2, Tessa Manecke 2.
TRF – Sophia Kraemer 2, Maren Espe 6, Avah Waldal 18, Josie Peterson 7, Breanna Myers 11.
Scoring
(From Jan. 19)
1 2 T
Roseau 24 31 55
Thief River Falls 22 38 60
Roseau – Kayla Bachleitner 10, Sophia Olson 2, Brooklyn Hulst 5, Anya Severson 20, Janna Preteau 14, Kara Ulvin 2, Anna Ulvin 2.
TRF – Sophia Kraemer 2, Ali Yuska 2, Maren Espe 8, Kendal Rantanen 6, Avah Waldal 11, Josie Peterson 13, Breanna Myers 18.
Section 8AA
Overall QRF W L
Perham 16 1 123.4
Pelican Rapids 14 3 93.3
Thief River Falls 14 4 83.5
Crookston 10 6 77.4
Hawley 11 6 76.7
Fergus Falls 5 11 73.1
Barnesville 8 8 72.7
DGF 7 10 64.6
Park Rapids Area 7 8 60.3
East Grand Forks 8 8 60.1
Wadena-Deer Creek 9 7 58.9
Menahga 7 8 56.5
Roseau 10 8 56.1
Frazee 7 11 51.7
Warroad 4 14 27.5
Red Lake 3 10 27.0