MHS girls win ESD Conference title

• Kernels claim ESD crown

Mitchell’s Kristin Sabers, left, gets ready to put up a shot during an Eastern South Dakota Conference girls’ basketball game Saturday at the Corn Palace. The Kernels won 58-31 to claim their first ESD crown since the 2003-04 season. (Luke Hagen/Republic)

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Mitchell capitalized on its first shot at claiming the Eastern South Dakota Conference title outright on Saturday.

The No. 1-ranked Kernels (17-1) continued their dominance of ESD teams this season with a 58-31 win over Brooking in a girls’ high school basketball game as a part of the Dakota Wesleyan University Classic at the Corn Palace.

“The girls’ program in Mitchell has needed this for a long time,” said fourth-year Mitchell girls’ coach Wes Morgan, whose team has improved each year with him at the helm. “These kids have worked hard to put themselves in this situation.”

The Kernels are 12-0 against league opponents this year, including picking up two wins against Class AA defending state champion Brandon Valley. The Kernels won their first ESD crown since the 2003-04 season and also claimed home-court advantage throughout the District 3AA playoffs, which start on Feb. 27.

Earlier this year, Mitchell beat Brookings 46-37 on the road. Saturday’s win over the Bobcats was much more comfortable.

Brookings coach Lynn Frederick said he thinks Mitchell is one of five teams in Class AA that is state-champion caliber.

“They have all the ingredients, I think,” said Frederick, whose team is 2-15 overall and 2-10 in the ESD. “They have all the pieces to the puzzle, good guard play and good post play. I think they’re a lot better now than they were in early January.”

Mitchell’s Macy Miller had a game-high 18 points. She had 10 at halftime, knocking down 6 of 6 free throws. She was named the game’s most valuable player, an award that was handed out in each game at the classic.

Kerri Young had 17 points and seven rebounds for the Kernels, who are on a 12-game win streak. Kristin Sabers and Courtney Moore both had seven points and Dana Misiaszek had seven rebounds.

Brookings, which scored only three first-quarter points, was led by Amelia Miller’s 10 points. The Bobcats shot 32 percent from the field and are on a seven-game losing skid.

The Kernels led by as many as 14 in the first half, but Brookings squeezed within 26-15 at halftime. Mitchell blew up for 18 third-quarter points, scoring buckets off steals that led to fast-break layups. Misiaszek, Young, Miller, Sabers and Moore each scored at least one field goal in the third, and the Kernels’ lead stacked to 23 points. By the middle of the fourth quarter, Mitchell emptied its bench and rested its starters.

“Wow, what a third quarter,” Morgan said. “It’s nice to have a halftime where the kids know what you’re trying to get done, and they come out and do it.”

The Kernels travel to Watertown on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. ESD game against the Arrows. They finish the year at home against Aberdeen Central on Feb. 21.

MITCHELL 58, BROOKINGS 31

MHS (17-1, 12-0 ESD)

Dana Misiaszek 3-6 0-2 6, Megan Farnham 0-0 1-2 1, Macy Miller 5-10 7-8 18, Kerri Young 8-17 0-0 17, Kristin Sabers 3-6 1-2 7, Berkley Rietveld 0-0 0-0 0, Tori Houwman 0-0 0-0 0, Torrie Michels 0-0 0-0 0, Emma Schmidt 0-0 0-0 0, Krista Huber 0-1 0-0 0, Courtney Moore 3-41-3 7, Taylor Volesky 0-2 0-0 0, Shelly Iburg 0-0 0-0 0, Ashley Larson 0-0 0-0 0, Jamie Iburg 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-48 12-19 58.

BHS (2-15, 2-10 ESD)

Kaitlin Kwasniewski 1-5 0-0 2, Emily Johnson 2-4 0-0 6, Andee Weisbeck 0-4 0-0 0, Amelia Miller 5-7 0-0 10, Katelynn Runge 1-5 1-4 3, Melissa Knoblock 0-1 0-2 0, Laruen Coughlin 0-2 0-0 0, Hannah Stuart 1-3 0-0 3, Rachel Mielk 1-2 0-0 2, Morgan Mahnke 0-0 0-0 0, Margaret Chell 1-3 1-2 3, Alyssa Tvedt 0-0 2-2 2. Totals: 12-37 4-10 31.

MHS 12 26 44 58

BHS 3 15 24 31

3-Point Goals: MHS 2-3 (Young, Miller), BHS 3-8 (Johnson 2, Stuart 1). Rebounds: MHS 32 (Misiaszek 7, Young 7), BHS 27 (Runge 7). Turnovers: MHS 6, Brookings 20. Total fouls: MHS 11, BHS 16. Fouled Out: None. Technical fouls: None.

Tags: sports, mitchell, state, rank, aa, basketball, girls, kernels