Walker-Hackensack-Akley downs Mahnomen 72-55 in 8A East Championship

Section 8A East Championship – #2 Mahnomen 55 vs. #1 Walker/Hackensack/Akeley 72

Despite having an early lead the Mahnomen Indians couldn't contend with the size of the Walker Hackensack Akley Wolves which led to WHA coming away with a 72-55 win to claim the east sub section of section 8A.

Mahnomen hit a 3 to open the game and the 2 teams would go back and forth early with 3 lead changes and 3 ties. WHA would then open things up with some hot shooting and good defense and would extend the lead to as many as 13 in the first half and at the half WHA would lead 40-28.

Mahnomen would come out with good intensity in the 2nd half and would cut the lead to 6, but the wolves would again use their size to cut off the Mahnomen passing lanes and with some fast break points and some threes the Wolves will move on to play for the 8A section championship.

Section 8A West Championship – #2 Warren/Alvarado/Oslo 45 vs. #1 Northern Freeze 56

It will be the battle of two top seeds in the Section 8A Championship on Friday night after the Northern Freeze defeated the Ponies at the Ralph Tuesday night.

This was the third meeting between the two teams who split during the regular season, both close games like this was good to be midway through the second half.

Trailing by ten at halftime was nothing new for the Ponies during their playoff run. In both the quarters and semis, the Ponies trailed by eight points each game and forced over time in both to eventually win. It started to turn that way in this game as well.

With momentum on their side, 3:27 remaining down 42-39, the Ponies committed a foul which they didn't like, leading to a technical foul as well. Four free throws later, the game was changed from a one possession game, to a three possession game with the Freeze leading 46-39. The instant change back of momentum to the Northern Freeze is what set this game aside and led them to the Section 8A Championship.

Freeze as a team show well from the free throw line going 19-25, out rebounded the Ponies 39-28, had six steals and 14 turnovers

Freshman Cole Dahl led the Freeze off the bench with 15 points (6-6 FTs), seven rebounds

Kade Klasen hit the four free throws in a row, went 5-6 total from the line and had 11 points, five rebounds

Steele Spilde 11 points, seven rebounds

Dustin Dahl nine points, nine rebounds

W/A/O 9-17 from the line, 10 steals and 12 turnovers

Jayvon O'Quinn 20 points, six rebounds ,four steals

Danny Schmidt nine points, eight rebounds

Ponies end their season 22-6 with the loss.

Northern Freeze will take a 22-5 record to the matchup against Walker/Hackensack/Akeley at the Ralph in TRF on Friday night at 7pm for the Section 8A Chamionship. Game can be heard live on Gold 101.5 FM KRJM & krjmradio.com with pregame starting at 6:30pm that night.