By Jeremy Reinarts

Journal Sports Writer

SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye Indians faced a tough challenge in the first round of the Section 2A girls’ basketball playoffs traveling across town to face Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s.

St. Mary’s led 31-16 at the half and gave the Indians an early exit with a 61-38 victory for the Knights.

The Knights set the pace early by gaining the defensive rebounds as the Indians struggled to find the net.

“It was key to out rebound them which is what we talked about by not giving them second chances and we did a great job of that by getting to the boards,” St. Mary’s coach Bruce Woitas said.

St. Mary’s was able to maintain a double-digit lead for most of the first half with the bench players keeping pace with the starting five.

The Indians tried to shorten the deficit by reaching out from 3-point land with only Madi Krueger and Brittney Dittbenner each hitting one shot each.

“We had to play our best game here tonight, but we didn’t hit a lot of shots early to give them the first half lead,” Indians coach Ryan Hulke said. “I wanted them to battle and give them everything we had, our seniors were great with a program over there now that has three out of six years at the state tournament and three out of the last four conference champs.”

Madison Mathiowetz help her team extend the lead going 4-for-6 from the free-throw line as the only Knight earn the chance in the first half.

The Indians came out swinging in the early minutes of the second when Paige Romberg hit three consecutive shots from outside and bring the score to within 10 points.

“We made the adjustment [in the second half] and we were able to push it back up and finish strong,” coach Woitas said.

Mathiowetz went 8-for-8 from the free-throw line in the second half for the Knights as the Indians were forced to contest the shooting down low.

At the 6:23 mark in the game the Knights got hot again and led 50-36 with bench players again staying pace with the Knight leaders.

Krueger led the Indians with 13-points and five rebounds and Dittbenner had 8 points to end the Sleepy Eye season.

Mathiowetz scored 26-points with seven rebounds in the Knights’ victory, Sydney Windschitl had 13 points with five rebounds and Liz Schwint tallied five rebounds.

St. Mary’s will play Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Friday at St. Peter High School in the second game. Game time is approximately 7:30 p.m.