Staff photo by Jeremy Behnke New Ulm Cathedral’s Jevan Wilfahrt blocks a shot by Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s Carson Domeier during Thursday’s Section 2A semifinal game at St.Peter High School

ST. PETER — Carson Domeier needed 17 points going into Thursday night’s game to reach 2,000 in his career. He reached the milestone late in the game, but more important to him, his St. Mary’s team moved on the Section 2A, North Subsection finals with a 63-59 victory against New Ulm Cathedral at St. Peter High School.

Domeier finished with 23 points, six rebounds and four assists and he became the first boys’ basketball player to reach 2,000 career points at St. Mary’s.

The Knights (26-2) will play BOLD, a 56-53 winner over Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at St. Peter High School for the North Subsection championship.

“It means a lot and it goes out to all of my teammates, all the hard work this summer together,” Domeier said. “Right now, I’m just worried about winning the next game, that’s what I’m really worried about.”

Sophomore Will Walter scored 16 points, including four 3-pointers. He also had three assists. Kaleb Wait finished with 10 points, 10 rebounds and five assists and Trent Steffensmeier scored 10 points and had four assists.

The loss ends Cathedral’s season at 18-10. The Greyhounds were led by senior Sam Knowles, who finished with 16 points. Sophomore guard Jevan Wilfahrt scored 15 points and David Wilfahrt Jr. finished with 11 points.

The Greyhounds’ defense seemed to frustrate the Knights for much of the game. St. Mary’s was never able to get more than a 6-point lead at any point and Domeier said that the Greyhounds were tough defensively.

“I really just think they stayed consistent, they just beat us to the spot,” Domeier said of Cathedral’s defense. “They played really good, Cathedral always switches on their defense and they were switching pretty hard and they stopped us when we were going downhill and that kind of disrupted us a little.”

The Knights broke a 28-28 tie late in the first half when Walter hit a 3-pointer with 5.6 seconds to go to put them up 31-28 at the break.

St. Mary’s held the lead for almost the entire second half and the Greyhounds never led after halftime. Jevan Wilfahrt brought Cathedral to within 50-48 with 4:02 left, but the Knights got a 3 from Walter to make it 53-48 with 2:51 left in the game.

Another 3 late from the Greyhounds made it 53-51, but the Knights hung on thanks to free throws.

Domeier said the Knights were having a tough time getting going, but they got it done.

“I feel like in the first half we kind of were out of sync a little bit and not keeping our composure, the second half we locked in at halftime and we made a little run and they made their run, we ended up closing the game out,” Domeier said.