Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Howard Lake, Lester Prairie, Winsted, Watertown, Mayer, New Germany, Waverly, MN and the surrounding area

STATE BOYS BASKETBALL: R-T-R stifles Crusader offense in Class A semifinals


MINNEAPOLIS – The Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Knights came into their matchup with the top-seeded Mayer Lutheran Crusaders with a plan. They executed that plan to perfection.

“We did a great job of executing what we wanted to do defensively,” R-T-R coach Ted Kern said. “(We) pressured the ball up top, and played physical ball down low. That’s really the only way we could have competed with their size.”

Despite having the advantage inside with their size, the Knights gave Mayer Lutheran fits all game long with their pressure defense.

Despite having the advantage inside with their size, the Knights gave Mayer Lutheran fits all game long with their pressure defense.

The Knights (31-1) did more than just competed. Their defensive pressure gave the Crusaders fits all game long, as the Knights held off a late rally for a 49-38 in the Class A semifinals Friday afternoon at Target Center.

“R-T-R is a great team,” Mayer Lutheran coach Pat Buchanan said. “A lot of credit to them. They did a lot of things to stagnate our offense and slow us down of what we like to do. My hats off to R-T-R and those young men over there.”

The Crusaders (28-4) shot just 26 percent (16-for-55) from the field, as the Knights came out swinging from the start with their suffocating defense. The Knights opened the game on a 16-1 run, and held the Crusaders without a field goal until the 7:41 mark of the first half.

“It was really frustrating,” junior Baden Noennig said.” Like coach said, we never stopped working. We kept going through it. We knew that eventually they’d start dropping but, I mean they didn’t really. We fought our best, and hats off to R-T-R.”

The Crusaders have had rough starts to games throughout the season on their way to reaching the Class A state tournament, but they’ve usually found a way to turn things around in the final 18 minutes.

“We’ve been in a lot of games like that where first half shots don’t drop,” Garrett Tjernagel said. “We’ve just played through that, and the second half they’ve always started to drop. I just believed in that and kept playing through that.”

Senior Branden Carlson tries to settle things down and get the offense rolling for the Crusaders.

Senior Branden Carlson tries to settle things down and get the offense rolling for the Crusaders.

Despite trailing by 15 at the half and converting only five field goals, the Crusaders continued to fight. Noennig scored back-to-back buckets to open the second half as the Crusaders tried to take advantage of their size inside.

“We’re resilient,” Buchanan said. “We’ve been like that all year long. They showed it out there. We’re never going to quit. We’re going to fight.”

A coast-to-coast layup from Noennig brought the Crusaders within four with just under three minutes to go, but the Knights settled down, knocked down clutch free throws down the stretch, and held on for the win.

“They’re a hard-working team,” Tjernagel said. “Playing a team like that, it’s something you don’t see every day. It’s something that you can teach, but a lot of that is just natural, and on top of that is just good coaching.”

While the ultimate goal of a state title is no longer there for Mayer Lutheran, those six seniors on this year’s team will be looking to be one of the few teams that can cap off their season with a win, and still make school history in the process.

“Not many people get to say they got to end their high school career on a win,” Woolhouse said. “That’s what we’re going to try to do tomorrow.”

Whatever happens tomorrow for the Crusaders in their third-place game against Cass Lake-Bena, won’t change how special of a season this was for them. Woolhouse wouldn’t trade this season, and his new coach, for anything in the world. The two built a life-time relationship that goes well beyond the game of basketball in just one season together.

“When I first met coach,  I kind of knew this was going to be a great year,” an emotional Woolhouse said. “In four months, it kind of flashed right before my eyes. I try to not to take any moment for granted. He came in and changed our culture. We were a very offensive-minded team, and he turned us around with our defense. That’s what got us to this point. He made us want to make that hustle play. The diving play. I know that I don’t want the season to end. All good things got come to an end at some point. I’ll definitely keep in touch with him. I’m just really glad that God placed him here when he did. He always preaches the family thing. I know I can come to these guys with anything. I wouldn’t trade this for the world. I know I can go to coach with anything. After high school and college, I know he’s got my back and I got his back. I’m just very happy with what he came in and did with our team.”

Mayer Lutheran and Cass Lake-Bena will play for the Class A third-place trophy Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m. at Concordia St. Paul.

 

 

 

 

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