PEQUOT LAKES-Four players reached double figures for the No. 3 seeded Verndale Pirates, who upset No. 2 seeded McGregor 61-41 Saturday in the North Subsection 5-1A semifinals.
Mac Schluntter led the way with 13 points. Luke Weniger and Jordan Brownlow each scored 12 and Nathan Sabinash added 11 for the21-6 Pirates.
"Defensive we played so intense," Pirates head coach Jordan Hinkle said. "They didn't have a lot of space on the night. That might have been something, the defense we played and style, maybe they hadn't seen all year. That worked in our favor."
Verndale held the Mercs to 36 percent shooting and only four players scored led by Cole Gelhar's 21 points.
McGregor 24 19-41
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Verndale 30 31-61
McGREGOR
Carson Passer 11, Josh Benjamin 7 , Cole Gelhar 21, Billy Staska 2 . FG 15-14 (36 percent), FT 4-5 (80 percent). 3-point 7-15 (46 percent).
VERNDALE
Taylor Willis 6, Kyle Schmitz 2, Luke Weniger 12, Mac Schluttner 13, Jordan Brownlow 12, Nathan Sabinash 11, Andrew Barrett 1, Tyler Willis 4. FG 24-55 (43 percent), FT 7-12 (58 percent). 3-point 6-22 (27 percent). Overall: 21-6. Next: Verndale vs. Nevis in North Subsection 5-1A championship at Pequot Lakes 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Crosby-Ironton 66,
Hinckley-Finlayson 59
DULUTH - Trey Jacobs had the hot hand for the No. 2 seeded Crosby-Ironton Rangers, who defeated the No. 3 seeded Hinckley-Finlayson Jaguars 66-59 in Section 7-2A quarterfinals Saturday.
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The 6-foot-1 senior nailed 8-of-9 shots from the field (89 percent), including 3-for-4 from 3-point to finish with a team-high 19 points. As a team, C-I shot 61 percent (28-of-46) from the field, while hitting 22-of-25 (88 percent) from inside the arc.
Noah Gindorff finished with 18 points despite getting into first-half foul trouble. He grabbed eight rebounds and is seven boards short of 1,000 for his career. Jack Silgen tallied 14 points and nine rebounds.
Hinckley-Finlayson 29 30 - 59
Crosby-Ironton 34 32 - 66
HINCKLEY-FINLAYSON
Anders Prater 2, Lavone Kroschel 3, Trevor Johnson 10, Kolten Furey 10, TJ Johnson 11, Travis Visser 21. FG 23-42 (44 percent. FT 2-5 (40 percent). Three-point 6-25 (24 percent).
CROSBY-IRONTON
Jack Silgen 14, Evan Edmundson 9, Trey Jacobs 19, Jonathan Jacobson 6, Noah Gindorff 18. FG 28-46 (61 percent). FT 4-9 (44 percent). Three-point 6-21 (29 percent). Next: C-I vs. Virginia in Section 7-2A semifinals at University of Minnesota Duluth 5:45 p.m. Thursday.
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Esko 61, Pequot Lakes 43
DULUTH-Zach Sjoblad scored 21 points and No. 4 seeded Pequot Lakes held a 24-19 halftime lead, but top-seeded Esko prevailed for a 61-43 Section 7-2A quarterfinal victory over the Patriots Saturday.
Esko 19 42-61
Pequot Lakes 24 19-43
ESKO
Quinn Fischer 10, Ryan Pantsar 8, Sam Rengo 1, Isaak Blue 2, Camden Berger 11, Adam Trapp 29. FT 13-16 (81 percent).
PEQUOT LAKES
Nathan Traut 3, Gage Westlund 6, Cody Huss 8, Zach Sjoblad 21, Tyler Manley 4. FT 3-6 (50 percent). Overall: 15-13.
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Breckenridge 66, Wadena-Deer Creek 33
MOORHEAD-Dacotah Mittag tallied 10 points for the No. 7 seeded Wadena-Deer Creek Wolverines in Saturday's 66-33 Section 8-2A quarterfinals loss to No. 2 seeded Breckenridge.
Bereket Loer and Jonathan Pantages each scored six for the Wolverines, who finished 13-15.
Breckenridge 34 32-66
Wadena-Deer Creek 18 15-33
BRECKENRIDGE
Carson Yaggie 7, Noah Christensen 15, Andrew Kram 6, EJ Engen 3, Max Johnson 2, Stevin Lipp 11, Hunter Feigum 10, Sam Bakken 2, Jace LeNoue 2. FG 28-71 (39 percent), FT 6-10 (60 percent).
WADENA-DEER CREEK
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Bereket Loer 6, Jonathan Pantages 6, Thomas Quincer 4, Ryan Olson 1, Noah Ross 5, Ryan Anderson 1, Dacotah Mittag 10. FG 10-40 (25 percent), FT 11-16 (68 percent). Overall: 13-15.
