Cards share Mid State title, down DL, Sebeka

Staples Motley forward Derek Wolhowe found his scoring range last week, leading the Card inal boys cage team to wins over Detroit Lakes and Sebeka with some of his best point production of the year.

Senior Night at SMHS A standing room only crowd watched as Jordan Riewer flew in for two of his 16 points against Sebeka on Friday, March 5. Other Cardinal seniors on the floor included Derek Wolhowe (21), Gunner Johnson (11), Jordan Peterson (behind Riewer) and Jason Johnson (at right). (Staples World photo by Ken Klose) Behind the 29-point scoring of Wolhowe, the Cardinals defeated Sebeka 69-66 Friday night in a Staples gym that was packed with basketball fans, the last to arrive standing behind the top row of seats.

SM had a 37-29 advantage at halftime and led by 15 points with just over six minutes left in the game. Sebeka, with double digit scoring from four players, stormed back to within four points with 54 seconds remaining. SM held the ball, forcing the Trojans to foul, with Wolhowe and Jordan Riewer, who finished with 16 points, going to the line to notch the final six points for Staples Motley.

Jason Johnson added nine, Gunner Johnson six, Jordan Peterson five, and Jon Bristow four for the Cards.

For Sebeka, Joey Cuperus scored 18 points, Ryan Sharp had 15, John Clark 13, Cody Pulju had 12 and Alex Brockpahler scored eight points.

The win over Class A’s third ranked Trojans was an especially sweet one for the Cards, who had not been among the top ten teams in Class AA in the past few weeks.

Earlier, Staples Motley clinched a share of the Mid State Conference championship with their 87-56 win Tuesday, March 2 at Detroit Lakes. Both the Cardinals and Crosby-Ironton’s Rangers finished with 9-1 league records.

The Cardinals started hitting their shots early at DL, which enabled them to build a 45-31 halftime lead.

In that game Wolhowe poured in 31 points and Riewer added 19. Wolhowe nailed six three’s and another five field goals to reach that figure.

Cardinals Jason Johnson and Jordan Peterson each added 14

Hot Hand Derek Wolhowe made a move against Sebeka Detroit Lakes ended 5-5 in the conference and 11-14 overall. Sophomore guard Joe Mollberg led DL in scoring with 14 points, while Stalberger had 12 and Brian Labat finished with eight.

Regarding that DL game, the Detroit Lakes Tribune noted Cardinal guard Jordan Riewer garnered plenty of attention, taking advantage by getting the ball to open teammates. The Tribune’s Brian Wierima wrote, “The wonder guard still managed to dump in 19 points, including five three’s.

SM finished the season with a 21-5 record.

Cardinal Coach Lynn Peterson said the boys

squad has played the past

several games very well. “They’ve had a little more

spirit, an attitude and a good effort. We always say the only thing we can control are effort and attitude, so that’s what we work with.”

He said the seniors are in their final games and are realizing that. “We’re down to the point where we can’t have an off night, or we’re done.”

Sebeka had a very nice

ball club, Peterson said. “We’ve played them before

in summer leagues and seen them during the year. The game was a little rough and tumble, not always polished play,” he said. The officials, he said, let the players decide the outcome of the game.

The boys will host Benson on the Staples Motley floor Thursday night at 7, with the winner advancing to the Section 6AA semifi nals. The winner will play the winner of a first round Breckenridge vs. Osakis game on Saturday at U of M, Morris.

Boys Results

Tuesday, March 2.

Staples Motley 87, Detroit Lakes 56

Detroit Lakes 31 25 - 56

Staples Motley 45 42 - 87

Detroit Lakes (56) Connor Hedstrom 7, Joe Mollberg 14, Connor McLeod 6, Rick Hutchinson 5, Brian Labat 8, Josh Stalberger 12, Alex Guetter 4. FT 6-9 (66 percent), Three-point baskets: 6 (Mollberg 3, Hedstrom, McLeod, Hutchinson).

Staples Motley (87): Trevor Wentworth 3, Gunner Johnson 6, Jason Johnson 14, Jordan Peterson 14, Derek Wolhowe 31, Jordan Riewer 19. FT 9-17 (percent), Three-point baskets: 16-29 (Wolhowe 6, Riewer 5, Peterson 4, G. Johnson).

March 5 Staples Motley 37 32- 69

Sebeka 29 37- 66

Sebeka (66): Joey Cuperus 18, John Clark 13, Cody Pulju 12, Alex Brockpahler 8, Ryan Sharp 15. FT 12-19 (67 percent), Threepoint baskets: 6 (Sharp 4, Pulju 2).

Staples Motley (69): Gunner Johnson 6, Jason Johnson 9, Jordan Peterson 5, Derek Wolhowe 29, Jordan Riewer 16, Jon Bristow 4. FT 15-18 (83 percent), Three-point baskets: 8 (Wolhowe 4, Riewer 3, Peterson). Overall: 21-5. .