Staff photo by Ari Selvey Sleepy Eye St. Marys’ Morgan Mathiowetz dishes a behind-the-back assist during a Tomahawk Conference girls basketball game against New Ulm Cathedral Thurday at Cathedral High School.

NEW ULM — Exactly eight minutes into the first half of play, Sleepy Eye St. Marys’ freshman guard Morgan Mathiowetz sank the first of two free throws.

That point put her at 1,000 career points and helped St. Mary’s to a 75-50 win over New Ulm Cathedral Thursday at Cathedral High School.

“I think it’s cool,” Mathiowetz said. “Just being with my teammates, they helped me reach this milestone. Just playing with them has been a lot of fun this season, and I just want to keep it rolling.”

Mathiowetz joins her father, uncle, two aunts and her sister in the 1,000-point club for St. Mary’s. Her older sister Madison, who currently plays basketball for South Dakota State University, also reached the milestone as a freshman, and went on to become the Knights’ all-time leading scorer with 3,762 career points.

Mathiowetz said that she looks up to her sister as a role model and teacher when it comes to her basketball skills.

“I think I just wanted to model after her and play like her,” Mathiowetz said. “She taught me how to work really hard to achieve the goals that she set. I came into the season setting some of the goals I wanted to do and just help my team to be successful.”

Mathiowetz is averaging 21.1 points per game since becoming a full-time starter her eighth-grade season and is averaging 28.2 points per game through 16 games this year. Despite her personal success, she keeps her focus on getting wins for her team.

“Just helping my team to win,” Mathiowetz said. “Doing whatever I can do, whether it’s scoring or assisting or rebounding, playing good defense every game. All these extra things just come along with it.”

Mathiowetz did plenty of all that in the win against the Greyhounds, as she led the team in points (23), rebounds (13), assists (six) and steals (five). Natalie Fischer added 21 points and three rebounds for the Knights, while Brynne Ibberson had 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals.

Jenna Hotovec led the Greyhounds with 17, while Margo Finstad and Shay Wilfahrt had 14 apiece.

Mathiowetz’s memorable free throw put the Knights up 13-7 over the Greyhounds to open the game. It was in the middle of an 11-0 run for St. Mary’s that saw them up 19-7. Hotovec was fouled on a 3-point shot and converted all her free throws to end the run and cut the lead to 19-10. The Knights continued to build their lead, with the half ending in a 36-20 advantage for St. Mary’s.

The Knights started the second half with a 9-0 run, capitalized by a Fischer and-one to put them up 45-20. Despite solid shooting from Hotovec and Wilfahrt, the Greyhounds failed to mount a comeback as the Knights came away with the 25-point win.

St. Mary’s (12-5, 8-2) travels to Wabasso on Monday. Cathedral (8-7, 3-6) travels to Renville County West on Monday.