Macy Hatlestad and Kendall Kohler push Alexandria ahead

<p><span style="color:#1A1A1A">Alex coach Wendy Kohler sent us a note the other day letting us (and you) know that senior guards Macy Hatlestad and Kendall Kohler both scored their 1,000th point earlier in the season. Hatlestad did it on December 8 in an 82-27 win at St. Cloud Apollo. Kohler did it a little over a month later, on January 17 at home against St. Cloud Tech. Both scored number 1,000 on a FT early in the two games.</span></p> <p><span style="color:#1A1A1A">They are the 14th and 15th Alex Cardinals to score 1,000 points. Coach Kohler noted that she has seen every one of them except one score that 1,000th point. She also said that every one of them has scored 1,000 points despite the fact that “our scoring is very balanced and not focused for just one player to score. It has proven to be a very successful philosophy for our Lady Cards year after year.”</span></p> <p><span style="color:#1A1A1A">Unfortunately, Hatlestad went down with a knee injury on January 16 that we just heard about. It was in a game against Willmar. It has been diagnosed as an ACL, her 2nd one. Her other ACL was torn on May 16, 2015, at Bloomington Kennedy as her Metro Stars team defeated the Heat 47-40 in a game and an injury that we saw and reported on at the time. This time, she is “100 percent” confident that she will be back before playoffs, which would mean just a 6-week layoff. </span></p> <p><span style="color:#1A1A1A">“Macy Hatlestad,” coach Kohler said, “is a coach on the floor who fills up the stat line when all is said and done. She is an excellent ball handler, can hit the 3…and gets to the rim utilizing either hand to finish. She is one of our top rebounders and is a very physical guard.” She is an outstanding passer, coach Kohler continued, physically and mentally tough, a solid defender and an 80 percent FT shooter.</span></p> <p><span style="color:#1A1A1A">“Kendall Kohler is a mentally tough player,” coach Kohler (and Kendall’s mom) said. She “absolutely will not quit. She is a lockdown defender…. Her quickness and ability to lock up the key player every night are a huge key to our defense. Offensively, she has another gear to go to when pushing the ball, she can hit the deep 3, rip to the rim utilizing either hand, pull up and hit the mid-range jumper, and is a strong passer.” She is also an 80 percent FT shooter. “Kendall brings the intangibles that every coach loves, grabbing 50/50 balls along with her energy and positive mindset.”</span></p> <p><span style="color:#1A1A1A">Alex has been rated among the top 3 Class AAA teams all year and is an obvious favorite in Section 8AAA to get to the state tournament. With Hatlestad out (for now), “We have to push the reset button every day, understanding that we cannot stay the same…. We are an extremely deep team. We have a number of athletes who have developed in the system and understand the schemes on offense and defense and are will to lay it all out there in every practice and game.” </span></p> <p><span style="color:#1A1A1A">“Macy is rehabbing,” Kohler added, “and is going to finish what she started with this team, with surgery scheduled in late March,” after the end of this basketball season and post-season. “If all goes well, it will be quite a story to tell.”</span></p>