K-W rallies past Winona Cotter

<p>Mara Quam and her Kenyon-Wanamingo squad blasted Winona Cotter by 33 just before Christmas. Saturday&#39;s rematch in the Subsection 1AA title game looked like a totally different script, though the ending remained the same.</p> <p>After dropping 41 in the first meeting, Quam had more turnovers than points at halftime as the Ramblers methodically claimed a 21-17 advantage.</p> <p>The star senior heated up after the break to finish with a game-high 20 as her Knights rallied for a 50-40 victory. K-W held Cotter scoreless for more than 6 minutes while reeling off 12 straight points that turned a 31-27 deficit into a 39-31 lead.</p> <p>Cotter missed 4 FTs in the last minute to prevent a dramatic finish, like Tuesday&#39;s scene when the Ramblers knocked off top-seeded PEM, the defending Class AA state champ.</p> <p><strong>MVP — Savannah Bleess</strong></p> <p>She looked like the only Knight who was awake in the first half of this morning game. The 5-8 senior guard finished with 11 points and was the best rebounder on the floor. I didn&#39;t see the final stats before jetting to the other gym, but I bet she had at least 12 boards and 4 steals. She keyed the second half rally too, hitting a triple and recording a couple assists — including the go-ahead hoop by Quam. Her body language on the court isn&#39;t always great, but she&#39;s a player I expect will help Saint Mary&#39;s right away next year.</p> <p><strong>Best scorer — Quam</strong></p> <p>She finished with 20 points, but it was an ugly game for her. She finished with 7 turnovers and missed a handful of bunnies inside that typically go down. Still, she continued attacking and scored 12 points at the charity stripe. She&#39;s a mature scorer who stepped up when she had to, though she&#39;ll be a college volleyball player.</p> <p><strong>Best moment</strong></p> <p>K-W hasn&#39;t particularly played well in a few weeks now, but the veteran lineup — 4 seniors and a junior — continues to find ways to win. No play exemplified that better than the middle of the second half when the Knights turned four straight offensive boards into a game-tying basket by Tess Hokanson.</p> <p><strong>Best defender — Josie Huelskamp</strong></p> <p>She&#39;s only 5-5, but she&#39;s sturdy with quick feet and good hands. She didn&#39;t actually guard Quam, but I actually liked her physicality, too. Huelskamp is a plus scorer too, knocking down two treys in this one and pumping in 26 against PEM.</p> <p><strong>Best passer — Gabby Bowlin</strong></p> <p>She might have lost a little explosion after tearing her ACL last season, but her court awareness remains great. She got to the middle of the paint a couple times and showed great patience while waiting for traffic to clear before pinpointing a drop pass for a layup. She&#39;s a capable scorer too, finishing with 8 points, though she struggled some from the line. Her foot speed isn&#39;t great, as she struggled to contain Quam last time and spent zero time on her in this one. Haven&#39;t heard if she&#39;s made a college decision yet.</p> <p><strong>Unsung hero — Jane Koll</strong></p> <p>The 5-7 senior forward was everywhere for Cotter when things were going well, including sending the Ramblers to half with a 21-17 lead after a driving hoop at the buzzer. However, she managed just a trey after the break when things bogged down.</p> <p><strong>Top underclassmen</strong></p> <p>I&#39;ll pick one from each team. Cotter sophomore Isabel Northrup looks like she&#39;ll be a player for Coach Pat Bowlin. The 5-7 forward came off the bench to score four points and jump a passing lane. Perhaps more telling, Bowlin called two plays for her coming out of timeouts. I expect she&#39;ll step in and be a solid starter next year.</p> <p>K-W doesn&#39;t have much to choose from in terms of underclassmen, but freshman forward Riley Dummer came off the bench to give the Knights a big lift. The 5-8 wing isn&#39;t much of a ball handler, but confidently stroked two long jumpers — one beyond the arc and one with a toe on the line. She&#39;ll need to diversify her game next year, but that&#39;s a good starting point.</p>