by Scott DCamp
Sports Editor
The Thief River Falls girls basketball team opened the 2023-24 the same way it did in 2022-23 by splitting its first two games of the season. The Prowlers dropped the season-opener to the Fergus Falls Otters 62-47 at Fergus Falls Thursday night before bouncing back with a 56-40 win over Crookston at the Lincoln High School Brickhouse Friday night.
The Otters, who are a year removed from a state runner-up finish, took advantage of the Prowlers’ foul trouble Thursday night and built a 31-26 edge through one half of play before widening the gap down the stretch.
“We had a tough game against Fergus Falls,” said Thief River Falls Head Coach Paula Praska. “Two of our starters sat on the bench for 13 minutes of the first half in foul trouble. The rest of the bench battled the first half and we stayed close. The second half we lost Avah [Waldal] to an injury and got into a hole we couldn’t climb out of.”
Waldal, the leading scorer on the Prowlers’ 2023 Section 8AA final four team, scored seven points before leaving the game. Senior Breanna Myers and junior Josie Peterson were the Prowlers’ top scorers with 15 and 12 points, respectively.
The Otters were led by Brynn Sternberg, 25 points, Hattie Fullhart, 16, and Ruby Ellison, 12 points.
Thief River Falls went 22-6 a year ago and never lost back-to-back games at any point in the season. They also allowed 50 points or fewer 20 times (including the postseason) with a record of 18-2 in those contests.
The Prowlers picked up where they left off a season ago with a 56-40 win over the Pirates Friday night.
“We had a good start and kept working hard,” Praska said of the win over the Pirates. Josie Peterson and Breanna Myers shot the ball well. Our defense caused problems for the Pirates.”
The Prowlers had big games from both Peterson and Myers, as they scored 24 and 14 points, respectively.
The Prowlers were back in action Tuesday night with a home boys and girls double header against Roseau.
Scoring
1 2 T
Thief River Falls 26 21 47
Fergus Falls 31 31 62
Thief River Falls – Kendra Mehrkens 2, Ali Yuska 4, Aniyah Fields 2, Avah Waldal 7, Josie Peterson 12, Jerlyn Lunsetter 3, Breanna Myers 15.
Fergus Falls – Juli Hajicek 4, Bella Anderson 2, Brynn Sternberg 25, Ruby Ellison 12, Hattie Fullhart 16, Kayssa Eberle 3.
Scoring
1 2 T
Crookston 15 25 40
Thief River Falls 25 31 56
Crookston – Isabell Smith 13, Katelynn Christensen 3, Chloe Boll 11, Joey Nesseth 1, Naomi Johnson 12.
Thief River Falls – Sophia Kraemer 5, Braylie Wienen 4, Kendra Mehrkens 3, Ali Yuska 5, Piper Greene 3, Josie Peterson 24, Breanna Myers 14.
Section 8AA Girls
Overall QRF
W L
Pelican Rapids 2 0 0.0
Wadena-Deer Creek 2 0 0.0
Barnesville 1 0 0.0
Perham 2 1 0.0
Menahga 1 1 0.0
Thief River Falls 1 1 0.0
East Grand Forks 1 1 0.0
Frazee 1 1 0.0
Roseau 1 1 0.0
Warroad 1 1 0.0
Hawley 1 1 0.0
DGF 0 1 0.0
Park Rapids Area 0 1 0.0
Crookston 0 2 0.0