Big night Caitlin Robinson took a break, got a drink and smiled Monday night after making the 1,000th point of her high school basketball career. The milestone came in a Cardinal 49-35 win over Bertha Hewitt. (Staples World photo by Tom Crawford) Cardinal senior Caitlin Robinson joined teammate Nikki Pearson in the 1,000 Point Club on March 1 when she scored her fifth point of the game in a 49-35winover the Bertha Hewitt Bears.

That win came on the heels of two other wins and allowed the 2009-10 Cardinal girls to finish their regular season with a record of 21 wins and five losses.

The No. 1 seeded Cardinal girls open Section 6AA sub section play this Thursday night, hosting the eighth seeded Breckenridge Cowgirls. Other top seeds include second seed Benson and No. 3 West Central Area.

The Cardinal girls blasted Crosby-Ironton 64- 40 last Friday night at C-I, following a Tuesday night 68-35 win at Pelican Rapids. The C-I win was a big one, allowing the girls to finish Mid State Conference play with a 7-3 record, good for second place behind league leading Pequot Lakes. C-I finished third at 6-4, with Wadena-Deer Creek (4-6) Detroit Lakes and Park Rapids in the lower half of the conference standings.

Nikki Pearson scored 18 points and Caitlin Robinson hit four three-point baskets and totalled 15 points against the Pelican Rapids Vikings. Ashley Lisson added 12 points.

The Cardinal girls held a 40-15 advantage as they went into the locker room. “I thought this was our most complete game this year from an offensive

and defensive standpoint,” Coach Arden Beachy said. “We shot the ball very well and our defensive pressure took them out of the game early.”

Pearson had five rebounds and five assists while Robinson had four boards and four assists.

Friday night the girls headed to C-I for their second game of the season against the Rangers.

Robinson drilled seven 3-pointers in this game, turning in a 23-point performance.

Abby Smith added 11 points, as the hot-shooting Cardinals shot 48 percent from the field. The Cards were only ahead 23-17 at halftime, but outscored the Ranger girls 41-23 in the second half.

Chalk talk Coach Arden Beachy called a time out shortly before the end of the first half Monday to talk problems during the Bertha Hewitt game. Cardinal players include Jennifer Vasquez, NIkki Pearson, Abby Smith, Caitlin Robinson, Bobbie Jo Mathe and Kelly Pearson. (Staples World photo by Tom Crawford) “It took us some time to warm up in the game. We got off to a slow start,” Beachy said. “At half, we talked about hitting gaps in their zone and then getting the ball to open shooters.

“We adjusted nicely and were 11 of 24 from two point and 13 for 28 from three point shooting with ten of those in the second half.

This season, Nikki Pearson has scored 362 points and averages 14.5 a game. Right behind is Robinson, with 303 points and a 12.6 ppg. Ashley Lisson has a total of 194 points, 7.8 ppg; with Abby Smith at 158 and 6.3;

Pearson also leads the team in rebounds (132), steals (99) and blocks (20).

Bobbi Jo Mathe has 131 rebounds (5.5 rpg) with Robinson very close with 114 boards (4.8 rpg.).

Robinson is the team leader in three-point baskets, hitting 51 of 150 attempts. Nikki Pearson has made 39 of 121 three point attempts.
Girls Results
Feb. 23
Staples Motley 40 28 - 68
Pelican Rapids 15 20 - 35
Pelican Rapids (35): Mackenzie
Strand 4, Kendra Coleman 16,
Maria Johnson 3, Trudy Johnson
2, Anna Skow-Anderson 1,
Madison Korf 5, Bailey Strand 2,
Alyssa Morgan 2. FT 12-18 (67 percent), Three-point baskets: 1(M. Johnson). Overall: 15-9.

Staples Motley (68): Nikki Pearson 18, Kelly Pearson 2, Caitlin Robinson 15, Mikayla Wing 2, Jennifer Vasquez 3, Ashley Lisson 12, Abby Smith 6, Jaelin Beachy 5, Bobbie Jo Mathe 5. FT 7-9 (78 percent), Three-point baskets: 7 (Robinson 4, N. Pearson 2, Beachy). Overall: 19-5. Feb. 26 Feb. 26 Staples Motley 23 41 - 64

Crosby-Ironton 17 23 - 40

Staples Motley (64): Nikki Pearson 9, Kelly Pearson 6, Caitlin Robinson 23, Jennifer Vasquez 2, Ashley Lisson 2, Abby Smith 11, Jasmine McGillvray 8, Bobbie Jo Mathe 3. FG 24-50 (48 percent). FT 3-7 (43 percent). Three-point baskets: 13 (N. Pearson, K. Pearson 2, Robinson 7, Smith, McGillvray 2). Conference: 7-3. Overall: 20-5.

Crosby-Ironton (40): Cassie Valentino 5, Chelsey Bonsante 2, Katie Swanhorst 3, Jana Anderson 19, September Prushek 6, Kendra Perpich 3, Missy Foote 2. FG 12-33 (36 percent). FT 11-19 (58 percent). Three-point baskets: 5 (Valentino, Swanhorst, Anderson 2, Perpich). Conference: 6-4. Overall: 17-8.