Chesterton Academy Bulldogs End Groves Academy Griffins Season

The Section 4A boys basketball tournament began Monday night with a play-in game that saw Zach Halpin score a game high 31 points to lead the Chesterton Academy Bulldogs to a 72-53 win over the Groves Academy Griffins in St. Louis Park.

Though Chesterton Academy was the higher seed, the game was played at Groves Academy's St. Louis Park campus due to the lack of a suitable gym for the Edina based school.

Zach Halpin set the tempo early for the Bulldogs as he scored the game's first four points.  Malik Bodden would hit a three pointer to erase the shutout for the Griffins and cut the lead to one. The game would be close as Alex Fink and robert hall would hit three pointer but is was Zach Halpin who who would score inside and outside and help put Chesterton Academy on a 7-0 run.  Zach Halpin would put the Bulldogs further ahead, scoring ten straight points.  He would help outscore Groves Academy 14-2 before he picked up his third foul with 1:10 remaining in the first half.  The Griffins would go on an 8-0 run to close out the first half as Hall and Max Bilcik hit from Minnetonka Blvd. and Patrick Quinn would also score that would narrow Chesterton Academy's halftime lead to 34-26.

Joe Grogan would begin the scoring for the Bulldogs :37 into the second half.  There would be a brief sign of life for the Griffins when Bodden would put them on an 8-0 run and a basket by Max Greseth would even the score at 37.  It would be the last time the score would be this close as Chesterton Academy began to pull away from Groves Academy.  Dundee Peterson would come off the bench to aid the Bulldog attack and Zach Halpin would score four straight points.  The most alarming statistic would be fouls as officials Dave Slaydek and Jason Weber would call a total of 46 fouls that would send both teams to the free throw line. Also Greg fink would put the Bulldogs on a 9-0 run.  As the game was decided late in the second half, Griffin head coach Peter Shutte cleared his bench and gave the reserves a chance to wrap up the season.  A bright spot was Zachary Bennett, who scored five straight points, including a three pointer.
The only other player in double figures of Chesterton Academy was Greg Fink with 10 points.  Bodden led Groves Academy with 15 points.  Hall came off the bench to add 11.

The Bulldogs improved their record to 8-11 and advance to the opening found of the Section 4A tournament against the top seeded and defending state Class A champion Minneapolis North Polars on Thursday, March 9 at 7 PM at North.  The Griffins ended their season with a record of 3-24.