×

GFW earns 1st victory of season by downing Cathedral

Staff photo by Steve Muscatello New Ulm Cathedral’s Livia Reinarts (21) takes a shot over Kaity Lee of Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop during the first half Friday at CHS.

By Jeff Meder

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM — Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop earned its first victory of the season with a 59-22 win over New Ulm Cathedral on Friday in Tomahawk Conference girls’ basketball action.

It was the third consecutive loss for Cathedral.

Things looked promising for the Greyhounds early in the first half. There were two ties and one lead change. Cathedral led briefly after a fast-break layup by Sarah Mohr. Lily Franta’s basket tied it again a short time later.

After Maggie Fliszar scored and tied it at 8-8, GFW started to pull away on a basket by Rylee Sabo and 3-pointers by Abby Heimkes and Morgan Aylsworth. Franta answered with a layup and Jenna Hotovec hit a 3-pointer to bring Cathedral within 3 points.

Aylsworth scored three baskets, Taylor Haas scored a basket and Kaity Lee scored on a layup off a turnover created by the Thunderbird’s press, making it 25-13. Mohr scored to cut Cathedral’s deficit to 25-15 at halftime.

The roof caved in on the Greyhounds in the second half. Franta canned a 3-pointer and she added a basket on the next play, which cut the Thunderbird lead to 25-20. Cathedral hit a long scoring drought after that. Hotovec scored Cathedral’s final points with 1:07 remaining in the game.

GFW used a full-court press and a half-court defense that took Cathedral out of its comfort zone. The Thunderbirds rebounded well, took good care of the basketball and they scored timely baskets. GFW outscored Cathedral 34-7 in the second half

During one stretch, Haas dropped in two free throws and scored two 3-pointers. Sabo scored a basket and she scored on a Greyhound turnover. She dropped in the free throw, giving GFW a 40-20 advantage with 11:15 left in the game.

“We had to speed the game up a bit,” GFW head coach Richard Busse said. “Our press made them uncomfortable, and we were more efficient to the point of getting the most out of every possession. We kept our composure, we took the right shot and we made the right pass tonight.”

Heimkes led GFW with 14 points. Aylsworth added 10 points with five steals and Haas had 9 points. McKenzie Lauwagie contributed eight steals.

Franta led Cathedral with 11 points, Hotovec had 5 points and Mohr scored 4 points.

Cathedral (1-3) will travel to Springfield on Tuesday. GFW (1-2) will host Minnesota Valley Lutheran on Tuesday.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
   

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today