Strong Second Half Leads Sauk Centre Mainstreeters to Class AA Semifinals

If Sinclair Lewis was a Sauk Centre girls basketball fan, he would have enjoyed Wednesday night's Class AA quarterfinal game that saw Maesyn Thiesen score 22 points, six steals and six assists to lead the Mainstreeters to a 74-65 come from behind victory over the Minnehaha Academy Redhawks at Mariucci Arena on the Univeristy of Minnesota campus.

Taytum Rhodes got the Redhawks on the scoreboard 1:08 into the game.Following a tying basket by Thiesen.  Taytum Rhodes would score seven straight points.  The Mainstreeters would inch closer with four straight points from Jill Klaphake and Thiesen would put Sauk Centre on an 8-0 run.  Both teams would keep the margin close throughout the first half.  Jill Klaphake would even the score at 27 and Taytum Rhodes would hit a a couple of shots from the light rail tracks to give the Redhawks a 33-30 halftime lead.

Another three pointer from Taytum Rhodes would begin the scoring for Minnehaha Academy :40 into the second half.  Kelsey Peschel would also hit a three pointer to cut the lead to one.  Thiesen would put Sauk Centre ahead for the first time with a three pointer and Terra Rhodes would score to even the game at 40.  The Redhawks would go ahead on a three pointer from Mia Curtis.  Avery New would hit a pair of free throws to put Minnehaha Academy on a 4-0 run.  But the Redhawks lead would evaporate as the Mainstreeters offense would heat up, sparked by outstanding passing from Jill Klaphake and good inside play from Alyssa Kohorst that would put them on a 12-0 run.  Tori Peschel would factor in the ruin with four straight points.  Kelsey Peschel would hit a pair of free throws to put Sauk Centre ahead by seven and Kohorst would score a three point play.  The bright spot in the second half for Minnehaha Academy would be a three point play from Taytum Rhodes but it wouldn't be enough to catch second seeded Sauk Centre.

Other player in double figures for the Mainstreeters were Jill Klaphake with 20 points.  Kohorst had 13 points and Tori Peschel had 11 points and 10 rebounds.  Taytum Rhodes led the Redhawks with 25 points and Terra Rhodes added 14.

Sauk Centre improved their record to 30-1 and will play in the Class AA semifinals against the winner of the Rochester Lourdes-Watertown Mayer game, Friday, March 17 at 8 PM at Williams Arena on the University of Minnesota campus.  Minnehaha Academy fell  to 24-5 and will play in the consolation semifinals on Thursday, March 16 at 8 PM at Ganglehoff Center on the Concordia University campus in St. Paul.