In an exciting matchup at the Granite City Classic hosted at the College of St. Benedict, the Wayzata Girls Basketball team (8-2) secured a last second victory over the top-ranked Class AA team from North Dakota, the Minot Majorettes (7-1).
Sophie Hawkinson led Wayzata with a stellar 20-point contribution, including two 3-pointers. It was her best game of the year so far.
Katie Kelzenberg was very effective at stopping the play of Leelee Bell. Both athletes were recognized after the game as Top Performers.
The game saw Wayzata overcome an initial deficit as they trailed 8-16 in the first half. However, a remarkable 20-2 scoring run midway through that period turned the tide in Wayzata’s favor.
Despite Wayzata’s lead, the Minot Majorettes, who clinched the 2022 North Dakota State Championship and the 2023 Western Dakota Athletic Championship, displayed resilience, preventing the Trojans from running away from the contest in the second half.
With under 20 seconds to play, Minot guard Presley Bennett hit this three pointer to tie the game at 58-58:
With 8 seconds left, Wayzata ran a play on what would prove to be the final possession of the game.
A nice jumper by Kate Amelotte didn’t drop, but junior guard Sarah Hyde grabbed the rebound and dished it to Allie Berns for a bucket as time expired!
Hawkinson finished with 20 points, Kate Amelotte had 10, Sarah Hyde had 8, Allie Berns had 7, Annika Kieser had 6, Maren Day had 5, and Katie Kelzenberg had 4.
Minot’s standout player, Leelee Bell, had an impressive 20-point performance. Bell, who has received scholarship offers from prestigious programs including the University of Minnesota, proved to be a formidable force on the court.
Defensively, Wayzata employed a strategic combination of players, including Katie Kelzenberg, Allie Berns, and Reilly Kurth, to effectively slow down Bell and disrupt Minot’s offensive strategies.
Wayzata moves to 8-2 on the season, and is back in action today against Lakeville North at 6:00 pm in continued Granite City Classic play.
An earlier version of this article identified Minot as being located in South Dakota.
